As the Biden administration approaches its conclusion on January 20, it marks the end of a transformative period in U.S. migration management policy. Over the past four years, the administration has implemented a groundbreaking strategy that combines enhanced regional cooperation on immigration enforcement with a significant expansion of lawful pathways for migrants. This approach, centered around the concept of “safe mobility,” has notably reduced irregular migration to the U.S.-Mexico border to its lowest levels in nearly five years, following a surge in arrivals. However, despite these achievements, the implementation process faced challenges, leading to public discontent over perceived chaos at the border.
The innovative policies introduced during the Biden era have garnered attention from European governments grappling with similar migration challenges. While some U.S. measures were more developed than others, they collectively offer valuable insights for Europe in managing mixed movements of asylum seekers and irregular migrants. The Biden administration’s experience underscores the importance of sequencing in policy implementation. Many elements aimed at promoting protection pathways were introduced before enhanced enforcement measures were fully realized. This strategic timing was crucial; it wasn’t until mid-2024 that many enforcement actions—such as increased cooperation with Mexico and Panama—were fully operationalized, leading to a significant decrease in irregular arrivals.
The incoming Trump administration is expected to adopt a more enforcement-centric strategy, potentially diminishing access to lawful pathways and humanitarian protections. However, this does not eliminate the possibility of a balanced approach that incorporates both robust enforcement and pathways for protection. For countries looking to achieve this balance, early reductions in arrivals must be prioritized while maintaining avenues for humanitarian assistance.
A hallmark of the U.S. safe mobility strategy was its dual focus on expanding legal pathways for migrants while simultaneously enhancing enforcement at the southern border. Key initiatives included the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan, and Venezuelan (CHNV) process, which began in October 2022. This program allowed U.S. residents to sponsor individuals from these countries for humanitarian parole and work permits, with Mexico agreeing to accept an equal number of returnees who could not be sent back home.
In addition to this sponsorship initiative, the U.S. administration significantly increased refugee resettlement from Latin America and the Caribbean—regions that had previously received little attention in resettlement efforts—and expanded access to seasonal work visas for Central Americans.
To further facilitate legal pathways, Safe Mobility Offices (SMOs) were established in several Central American countries. These offices work alongside international organizations like UNHCR and IOM to screen applicants for refugee resettlement and connect them with existing U.S. labor and family reunification pathways.
The U.S. strategy also emphasized creating a more orderly process for asylum seekers at the border while implementing stricter enforcement measures to deter irregular migration. The expansion of the CBP One app required migrants transiting Mexico to schedule appointments at official entry points before seeking asylum—a measure designed to streamline processing and reduce unauthorized crossings.
The Los Angeles Declaration on Migration and Protection, endorsed by 22 governments in June 2022, played a critical role in fostering cooperation across the hemisphere on migration management. This agreement established principles for lawful pathways and support for countries hosting large displaced populations while promoting shared responsibility among nations facing similar challenges.
When assessing the effectiveness of these strategies based on reduced irregular entries into the U.S., it appears that the combination of lawful pathways and enforcement measures has had a measurable impact. After reaching peak numbers of irregular encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in late 2023, subsequent months saw a significant decline as regional partners intensified immigration control efforts.
However, concerns remain regarding how restrictions on asylum access might conflict with international obligations and potentially place migrants at risk while waiting in Mexico. As other countries look to adopt similar strategies inspired by U.S. practices, they must consider alternative measures that better safeguard legal protections for migrants.
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