Bias coming from policy stances held by news sources colors information. The best news sources reduce misleading framing of issues and language, prioritizing reliable and insightful writing in their media so that the policy stances held by their authors do not generate misinformation. The major parties are associated with specific stances on issues such as border deportation policy.
Border Deportation typically refers to the process by which a country removes or expels individuals who are found to be illegally present at its borders. This process often involves returning the individuals to their country of origin or another country through which they transited.
A 2025 Pew Poll reports U.S. views of deportations with 32% saying all immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported, 16% saying none should be deported, and 51% saying at least some should face deportation. Of the group that says some should face deportation, 97% agree with the deportation of those who committed violent crimes.
In terms of political party stances on deportations, Pew reports that 54% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents say all immigrants living in the country illegally should be deported. Only 10% of Democrats and Democratic leaners say the same.
Under President Trump’s second administration, immigrants entering the country both legally and illegally have faced stricter policies. Deportations have been heavily emphasized in line with Republican border policy and Conservative views on immigration.
The Republican Stance on Border Deportation
The Republican stance on border control leads them to approach migrant policies with a priority on strict border security measures and increased enforcement as they focus on national security and overall stability. They generally hold a negative stance on immigration.
They are particularly concerned with issues of illegal entrance to the country, supporting increased deportations, and tend to support stricter controls on asylum access and increased difficulty in obtaining citizenship. As they desire to deter illegal immigration and the entrance of unsafe individuals, they also prefer to increase the difficulty of the process for legal asylum.
Polling in 2019 indicates that illegal immigration is regarded to be a much bigger issue among Republican voters than Democratic voters; 75% of Republican voters perceive illegal immigration to be a major issue, compared to just 19% of Democratic voters. Accordingly, the Republican party platform emphasizes the perceived need to curb illegal immigration, while the Democratic platform is focused more on providing pathways to citizenship for undocumented immigrants and streamlining the process of visa applications.
The Democratic Stance on Border Deportation
The Democrats’ stance on border security is more favorable toward immigrants, both legal and illegal, than the Republican Party’s stance. They usually prefer a more Liberal policy on immigration, which would avoid U.S. border deportation in favor of making it easier for illegal immigrants to obtain citizenship.
Their arguments are focused on the humanitarian approach, emphasizing the importance of processing asylum claims to facilitate legal pathways into the country and citizenship. While some hold these values because they prioritize providing protections and assistance to asylum seekers, others with more moderate views may prioritize controlled immigration. Regarding undocumented immigrants, they favor deportation guidelines that are kinder to the immigrant, or else no deportation at all.
In 2022, approximately 79% of Republicans supported the deportation of undocumented immigrants, while 39% of Democrats supported the same. This shows differences in the levels of border control enforcement.
To see individual politicians’ stances on different policies, please visit the ‘Politician’s Stance Tracker.’
Policy on Border Deportation in the United States
The public stance on immigration is characterized by opposing values. Some argue that asylum and the opportunity to flee persecution are core American values that should rightfully be upheld. Many of these people desire an end to arrests and deportations of undocumented immigrants, and some propose that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) be abolished. Liberals and Democrats are more likely to hold these views.
Those who have a negative view of immigration prefer a stricter asylum border procedure, as they don’t want the U.S. to be taken advantage of or endangered. They are of the mind that some people come to the U.S. for purposes outside of safety and, as a result, should not be eligible for the humanitarian aid of asylum. If they come illegally as undocumented immigrants, critics of the asylum system are especially reproachful, as they value security and individual integrity. They see undocumented immigration as unjust. Conservatives and Republicans are more likely to hold these views.
There are two models of deportation and three mechanisms for expulsion.
The legal models for deportation are “extended border control” and “post-entry social control.” Extended border control entails deporting undocumented immigrants for violations specifically related to entering the country. Post-entry social control refers to deportation aimed at individuals who engage in misconduct, such as criminal activity, within the country they have illegally entered.
The mechanisms for expulsion are “formal deportation,” “voluntary departure,” and “self-deportation.” Formal deportation is the process of removal that involves direct governmental action and entails legal penalties, including penalties against reentry. Voluntary departure is also a formal legal process, and it involves an individual’s voluntary agreement to leave the country after pressure during a trial with an immigration judge. This differs from self-deportation, which is also voluntary but is not connected to a legal process. Self-deportation occurs when a person chooses to leave the country of their own accord without a formal order, sometimes in response to pressures like campaigns or incentives.
With the second Trump Administration, a number of immigration-related policies have been implemented or updated in 2025. These changes to U.S. border policy are aimed at decreasing immigration and deporting undocumented immigrants.
A registration policy has been implemented that requires individuals who entered the U.S. without permission or have been in contact with authorities to register. The consequences for failing to register include fines related to both criminal and immigration penalties, as well as potential detention or deportation upon contact with law enforcement. Additionally, those who are deported may be denied immigration benefits or visas in the future. Registering involves providing information such as home address and may result in immigration and criminal consequences, including arrest and deportation, as well as migration-related criminal offenses.
To avoid many potentially unpleasant and costly legal procedures, the U.S. government encourages self-deportation. Self-deportation refers to someone who is illegally present in the U.S. exiting the country of their own accord. In 2025, DHS offered benefits to undocumented immigrants who submit their ‘Intent to Deport’ on the CBP Home App. These benefits include financial travel assistance and a stipend to support self-deportation.
A Brief History of Border Deportation Policy in the U.S.
The history of deportation in the U.S. has shifted between more and less lenient legislation over time, excluding specific groups based on factors such as nationality early on. Deportation is one mechanism of U.S. border policy used to handle groups of immigrants who were not accepted in the country for various reasons, including undocumented entry or political tensions.
During the Great Depression in the 1930s, Mexican immigrants and U.S.-born Mexican Americans were blamed for some of the economic struggles the nation faced, leading to the mass expulsion of an estimated 2 million people to Mexico by the late 1930s.
The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 did away with the quota system for immigration to instead used a system that prioritized based on family relationships and job skills.
Through to the 1980s, deportations were portrayed as a means of ensuring national security that protected jobs and public safety, although they sometimes worsened issues in these areas by spurring criminal organizations.
In 1996, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act (IIRAIRA) increased penalties and restrictions for illegal immigration in addition to enhancing border security. Undocumented individuals who had been unlawfully present in the United States for certain periods of time were barred from reentry. Employers who knowingly hired undocumented immigrants faced harsher penalties.
Much later, immigrants who came to the United States as children became eligible for President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in 2012. This program temporarily delayed deportation for these individuals.
Under the first Trump Administration, the Zero Tolerance Policy in 2018 required the prosecution of all adults apprehended for illegal entry. This mandate included even those actively seeking asylum. The Zero Tolerance border policy was rescinded in 2021 by the Biden Administration.
Even if a refugee is denied asylum, they can still apply for Temporary Protected Status (TPS) if their country has been designated as eligible for TPS. TPS recipients are protected temporarily, as the title implies, and are not on a path to eventual citizenship. This designation protects individuals from deportation and was expanded under the Biden administration.
The second Trump Administration rapidly introduced a number of policies to restrict immigration in general and address undocumented immigration. President Trump specifically targeted issues with the U.S.-Mexico border by restarting a policy he had attempted to implement in his first term, the Remain in Mexico policy, which requires immigrants from Mexico to remain in Mexico while applying for asylum in the United States. He also aims for agreements with other nearby countries to establish safe third-country agreements. Safe third country agreements allow a country to deny asylum to individuals who could have applied for protection in another country they passed through instead.
To avoid many potentially unpleasant and costly legal procedures, the U.S. government has historically encouraged self-deportation. Most recently in 2025, DHS offered benefits to undocumented immigrants who submit their ‘Intent to Deport’ on the CBP Home App. These benefits include financial travel assistance and a stipend to support self-deportation.
What the Future Holds
If public preferences for decreased immigration remain steady or even rise, Republican policies to increase deportations may continue, and restrictions on undocumented immigrants within the States may grow. Public sentiment reflects perceptions of the existing immigration situation, so this factor will be influenced by whether illegal immigration remains the best option in the eyes of those urgently seeking asylum.
The efficacy of President Trump’s border policies in 2025 remains to be seen, and their longevity will largely depend on the results they yield. Future immigration policy in the U.S. will likely reflect the results of these policies.
To explore how each political party views other key policy topics, visit Biasly’s full list of Political Party Policy Stances.
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