Bernie Sanders' immigration plan calls for DACA expansion, 'breaking up' ICE and CBP
Sen. Bernie Sanders' (I-Vt.) immigration plan doesn't have a lot of surprises.
The 2020 candidate has pushed for a progressive immigration agenda throughout his presidential run, campaigning on a promise to decriminalize illegal border crossings and expand DACA protections. Those, along with a complete rejection of President Trump's immigration policies, take shape in Sanders' plan for "a welcoming and safe America for all" unveiled Thursday.
Sanders' plan starts with a bold pledge for the first day of his presidency: He'll "overturn all of President Trump's actions to demonize and harm immigrants," his plan says. That includes a promise to end "the barbaric practice of ripping children from their parents and locking children in cages," and to "thoroughly audit and close detention centers." Next up will be a look at what causes people to take risky journeys to the U.S. in the first place, with Sanders calling for a "summit of leaders from Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico, and other countries to address the root causes of migration."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sanders then goes on to describe more priorities that'll take a bit more time to accomplish, including an expansion of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents programs. And while he stops short of a full call to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection, he does say he'll "break up" those agencies.
Find all of Sanders' plan here.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.
-
Political cartoons for January 4Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a resolution to learn a new language, and new names in Hades and on battleships
-
The ultimate films of 2025 by genreThe Week Recommends From comedies to thrillers, documentaries to animations, 2025 featured some unforgettable film moments
-
Political cartoons for January 3Cartoons Saturday's political cartoons include citizen journalists, self-reflective AI, and Donald Trump's transparency
-
Bari Weiss’ ‘60 Minutes’ scandal is about more than one reportIN THE SPOTLIGHT By blocking an approved segment on a controversial prison holding US deportees in El Salvador, the editor-in-chief of CBS News has become the main story
-
CBS pulls ‘60 Minutes’ report on Trump deporteesSpeed Read An investigation into the deportations of Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador’s notorious prison was scrapped
-
Trump administration posts sliver of Epstein filesSpeed Read Many of the Justice Department documents were heavily redacted, though new photos of both Donald Trump and Bill Clinton emerged
-
Trump HHS moves to end care for trans youthSpeed Read The administration is making sweeping proposals that would eliminate gender-affirming care for Americans under age 18
-
Jack Smith tells House of ‘proof’ of Trump’s crimesSpeed Read President Donald Trump ‘engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election,’ hoarded classified documents and ‘repeatedly tried to obstruct justice’
-
House GOP revolt forces vote on ACA subsidiesSpeed Read The new health care bill would lower some costs but not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
-
Hegseth rejects release of full boat strike footageSpeed Read There are calls to release video of the military killing two survivors of a Sept. 2 missile strike on an alleged drug trafficking boat
-
Trump vows naval blockade of most Venezuelan oilSpeed Read The announcement further escalates pressure on President Nicolás Maduro
