> The Democrats are sort of pro-immigration. Though for some reason, they strongly support illegal immigration, and seek to decriminalize it through so-called "sanctuary cities", rather than starting serious efforts at making permanent legal immigration liberal and approachable for most people.
I think the reason for this is that illegal immigration is more beneficial to Democrats' donors than broadening legal immigration. Illegal immigrants are easy for employers to exploit beyond the limits allowed by labor law, because they are unable to turn to the police or courts for protection. The Democrats are fundamentally a business-owners party, despite their usually symbolic gestures to the left, so this is typical for them: implement anti-worker policies with a veneer of human rights.
The Republican policy is actually somewhat worse than your description. Besides using militarized policing to pick up illegal immigrants that are otherwise doing nothing wrong, they are also cutting out many of the systems of due process that would allow illegal immigrants access to the courts to appeal their deportation. As a result, ICE is also sweeping up refugees, asylum seekers, legal immigrants, and even citizens, without any real oversight.
I think the reason for this is that illegal immigration is more beneficial to Democrats' donors than broadening legal immigration. Illegal immigrants are easy for employers to exploit beyond the limits allowed by labor law, because they are unable to turn to the police or courts for protection. The Democrats are fundamentally a business-owners party, despite their usually symbolic gestures to the left, so this is typical for them: implement anti-worker policies with a veneer of human rights.
The Republican policy is actually somewhat worse than your description. Besides using militarized policing to pick up illegal immigrants that are otherwise doing nothing wrong, they are also cutting out many of the systems of due process that would allow illegal immigrants access to the courts to appeal their deportation. As a result, ICE is also sweeping up refugees, asylum seekers, legal immigrants, and even citizens, without any real oversight.