The Hoax

Biden Didn’t Have The Authority To Close The Border, Stop Massive Illegal Immigration

Biden and some Democrats claimed he lacked the authority, ability, or power to close the border and curb illegal immigration—a misleading assertion that downplayed the president’s significant executive powers under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), particularly Section 212(f), which allows suspension of entry for aliens deemed detrimental to U.S. interests. While comprehensive reform often requires Congress, Biden’s narrative that he needed new legislation ignored tools he could have used to solve or reverse illegal border crossings. This led to record-high crossings like 249,785 in December 2023; he only acted late with a 212(f) proclamation in June 2024 that cut crossings by over 50%.

Under President Joe Biden’s administration, over 8.72 million migrant encounters have been recorded at the southern border as of the end of Fiscal Year 2024. Additionally, there have been approximately 2 million known “gotaways”—migrants who evaded capture but were detected through surveillance—since FY2021. This brings the total number of illegal entries at the southern border under his administration to an estimated 10.72 million.

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What Really Happened

Trump Slashed Illegal Immigration By 90% Immediately, Proving Biden Could Have Done The Same

Trump, upon taking office in January 2025, issued executive orders, reinstated “Remain in Mexico,” ended Biden’s parole programs, pressured Mexico with tariffs, and bossted ICE arrests—slashing illegal immigration by 94% from February 2024 to February 2025. This proved the president can drastically reduce crossings without new laws, exposing Biden’s claim as a half-truth driven by policy choice, not powerlessness.

A Summary of Trump’s Actions:

1. Executive Orders and 212(f) Authority: On his first day in 2025, Trump signed an executive order suspending entry of aliens at the southern border, citing Article IV, Section 4 of the Constitution (protection against invasion) and Section 212(f) of the INA. This order directed immediate deportations and restricted asylum access, bypassing the need for new laws. Unlike Biden’s delayed use of 212(f), Trump deployed it aggressively from the outset, signaling a zero-tolerance stance that deterred migrants.
2. Reinstatement of Deterrent Policies: Trump reinstated “Remain in Mexico” (requiring asylum seekers to wait outside the U.S. during case processing) and ended “catch-and-release” (releasing migrants into the U.S. pending hearings). He also shut down Biden’s CBP One app, which had paroled over 1 million migrants into the U.S., and canceled parole programs for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans. These reversals removed incentives for illegal crossings that Biden had maintained.
3. International Leverage: Trump used diplomatic pressure and tariffs to compel Mexico and Canada to act. By March 2025, Mexico deployed 10,000 troops to its border to combat illegal migration and fentanyl trafficking, while Canada cracked down on drug networks. In his first term, Trump similarly secured Mexico’s cooperation to slow crossings “to a crawl” via threats of economic penalties—an approach Biden avoided.
4. Enforcement Expansion: Trump empowered ICE and Border Patrol by removing Biden-era restrictions, leading to a 627% surge in ICE arrests by February 2025. He expanded expedited removal to migrants present for up to two years and sought to deputize local law enforcement for immigration enforcement, amplifying deportation capacity without congressional approval.
5. Psychological Deterrence: Trump’s rhetoric and swift actions—like declaring cartels terrorist organizations and restarting border wall construction—created a “reverse flow” of migrants abandoning their journeys, as reported by X posts and news outlets. This perception of an impenetrable border, absent under Biden, was a key factor in reducing attempts.

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Hoaxology

The following techniques were used to create this hoax:

Selective Reporting
The Biden Border Hoax relied on selective reporting by omitting key facts and context about the administration’s executive authority over immigration enforcement. Media outlets emphasized Biden’s claims that he lacked the legal power to curb illegal immigration without congressional action while downplaying his ability to invoke Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act—an authority Trump used effectively. Reports fixated on Republican opposition to border legislation rather than scrutinizing Biden’s refusal to act unilaterally, misleading the public into believing his hands were tied. Additionally, when Trump took office in 2025 and immediately slashed illegal crossings by over 90%, the media largely ignored this rapid turnaround, further concealing evidence that Biden’s inaction was a choice, not a limitation of power.

Appeal to Authority
The hoax also leaned on appeals to authority, where Democratic leaders and administration officials repeatedly asserted—without challenge—that Biden lacked the power to secure the border. High-ranking figures, including President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, framed the border crisis as an unsolvable legislative issue, despite clear legal precedent for executive action. This tactic relied on the credibility of government officials to shape public perception, making it seem as though Biden’s claims were factual rather than politically convenient. By deferring to these “trusted” voices while ignoring counterexamples like Trump’s rapid immigration crackdown, the media reinforced the falsehood that Biden was powerless to act, shielding him from accountability.

 𝕏 @AmericanDebunk