In a striking development, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 2024 Democratic primary presidential candidate, sharply criticized Joe Biden’s immigration policies in a piece published on Friday by Newsweek. Known for being an irritant to the Democratic establishment and the Biden administration, Kennedy Jr. is becoming increasingly vocal, expressing more mainstream concerns regarding the ongoing crisis at the southern border.
Kennedy argues that the current administration’s refusal to bolster our southern border’s security has not only led to an unremitting influx of migrants but also imposed unbearable strains on cities throughout the nation. “Clearly, the migrant crisis resulting from the Biden administration’s refusal to secure our southern border has created impossible burdens for municipalities across the country,” Kennedy wrote.
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This surge of migrants, Kennedy posited, is leading cities into financial and social service crises. For instance, New York City, grappling with 110,000 migrant arrivals in the past year, is poised to face budget shortfalls, endangering essential services from child care to housing. Similarly, Chicago and Denver are struggling with overwhelming expenses related to the migrant crisis.
Kennedy’s assessment implies a dichotomy between protecting immigrants from ICE raids, an objective of sanctuary cities, and managing the inundation of migrants through an insecure border. Such unrelenting waves, he contends, are unsustainable and are pushing cities to their breaking points.
The New York Post underscored Kennedy’s point, revealing that around 150,000 migrants received notices to appear before immigration judges in July alone, triple the figure acknowledged by the Biden administration under its “special parole program” for asylum seekers. The migration rate, Kennedy opines, is untenable, asserting, “150,000 illegal migrants a month (1.8 million a year) is a rate that no country can sustain.”
Despite his scathing critique, Kennedy clarified his stance as pro-immigration but stipulated the necessity for legal processes and secured borders. “I’m actually in favor of immigration—legal immigration. High fences, wide gates,” he affirmed, adding that his perspective stems from compassion and humanitarian conscience, distancing himself from xenophobic rhetoric.
This growing discordance with his party’s stance and a seemingly burgeoning conservative resonance has spurred rumors of Kennedy contemplating a Libertarian Party run, a move noted to be more beneficial to Republicans. Discussions with Angela McArdle, the chair of the Libertarian Party, further fuel these speculations, potentially positioning Kennedy as a significant contender drawing votes from varying demographics.
Kennedy’s potential third-party run could alter the electoral landscape, appealing to a broader voter base and disrupting the dynamics of the 2024 Presidential campaign. Despite differing policy positions, his stance on border security finds resonance with Republicans, making his candidacy a compelling development to observe.
With citizens across the political spectrum expressing discontent with the current border situation, Kennedy’s nuanced arguments could strike a chord with many Americans. He advocates for a secure border to extricate cartels from human trafficking and seeks cooperation from other nations to curb migrant influx while reestablishing tightly controlled legal mechanisms for qualified immigrants to use for orderly entry into the country.
