UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES OF U.S. IMMIGRATION POLICY: EXPLOITING UNDOCUMENTED MIGRANTS FOR POLITICAL GAIN

The U.S. Congress has not passed significant immigration reform legislation since 1996. Congress’s inaction has enabled presidential administrations to amass power and shape immigration policy according to their political priorities. This thesis explores how political tribalism and ever-changing immigration policies have contributed to recurring crises at the U.S.–Mexico border. Through a comparative analysis of Republican and Democratic administrations, it evaluates how executive orders, proclamations, and agency directives have prompted rapid policy changes. The policies and actions analyzed include the Trump administration’s “zero-tolerance” policy, which was criticized as having overburdened law enforcement and judicial systems, and the Biden administration’s rollback of enforcement measures, which critics argue encouraged increased migrant flows. The findings reveal that overreliance on executive authority has led to instability, weakening federal agencies’ ability to manage migration effectively and resulting in humanitarian consequences for migrants. The research also demonstrates how polarized approaches to immigration have been used as political tools, worsening operational challenges and fueling continual crises. The study concludes that without bipartisan legislative reform, immigration policy will remain susceptible to short-term political shifts, leaving border security and immigrant populations vulnerable to the volatility of partisan agendas.

Department dc:contributor.department

National Security Affairs (CHDS)

Grantor dc:publisher

Monterey, CA; Naval Postgraduate School

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Chavez, Martin

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Matei, Cristiana
• Brannan, David W.

Statement dc:rights

• This publication is a work of the U.S. Government as defined in Title 17, United States Code, Section 101. Copyright protection is not available for this work in the United States.

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10945/74681

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:calhoun.nps.edu:10945/74681