Immigration Reform: Two Paths Emerge for Republicans

In many ways, the Republican party is more unified in its stance on immigration than ever before. Four years of exceptionally lenient policy under President Biden — resulting in approximately 8 million immigrants entering the country via asylum claims, parole, or simply evading authorities — have made border security a settled issue within the GOP. Nobody in the party complained when President Trump canceled asylum appointments at the border or shut down Biden’s categorical parole programs. Republicans have also cheered the president’s aggressive deportation campaign, reflecting Americans’ record-high support for expelling illegal aliens en masse. In fact, as part of their One Big Beautiful Bill Act, congressional Republicans just gave the executive branch $150 billion to expand immigration enforcement and detention.

Beneath the surface, however, divisions over immigration policy among Republicans remain. In particular, members have different ideas about what to do with the estimated 11 million people who have lived in the United States for more than five years — since before the Biden-era surge. They also disagree on how to reform the country’s legal immigration system, if at all. Such intraparty differences are best captured by two concurrent legislative proposals emerging from the House.

About the Author

John R. Puri

John R. Puri is the Thomas L. Rhodes Fellow at National Review.

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In many ways, the Republican party is more unified in its stance on immigration than ever before. Four years of exceptionally lenient policy under President Biden — resulting in approximately 8 million immigrants entering the country via asylum claims, parole, or simply evading authorities — have made border security a settled issue within the GOP. Nobody in the party complained when President Trump canceled asylum appointments at the border or shut down Biden’s categorical parole programs. Republicans have also cheered the president’s aggressive deportation campaign, reflecting Americans’ record-high support for expelling illegal aliens en masse. In fact, as part of their One Big Beautiful Bill Act, congressional Republicans just gave the executive branch $150 billion to expand immigration enforcement and detention.

Beneath the surface, however, divisions over immigration policy among Republicans remain. In particular, members have different ideas about what to do with the estimated 11 million people who have lived in the United States for more than five years — since before the Biden-era surge. They also disagree on how to reform the country’s legal immigration system, if at all. Such intraparty differences are best captured by two concurrent legislative proposals emerging from the House.