Arrivals of migrants and refugees at the southern border are surging – this year could see over two million border-crossers, the highest level in 20 years. The Biden administration inherited a deeply broken refugee admission system from Trump, but it has also made its own choices which are shaping what is happening at the border – including the decision to keep sending everyone who arrives back, with the exception of unaccompanied children. This decision has come with at a humanitarian cost, with thousands of children packed into detention facilities as they wait to be released into the country. In this episode we explore the recent history of American migration policy, why it is that so many refugees are arriving right now, and what the Biden administration might do in the future to cope with the flow.
Credits
Host – Andy Gawthorpe
Growth consultant – Anne Stoop
If you have any questions or comments, you can email the show on producer@america-explained.com.
Links
Breakdown of border crossers by type (and more).
Reasons for refugee flow from Central America.
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