Amid the ongoing crackdown on illegal immigrants in the US, Vice President JD Vance supported Donald Trump’s actions and said uncontrolled immigration is “the greatest threat” to both the US and Europe. He was speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in National Harbor, Maryland, according to a report by The Guardian.
For allowing the millions of illegal migrants to their territories, Vance criticised the European countries. “The greatest threat in Europe, and I’d say the greatest threat in the US until about 30 days ago, is that you’ve had the leaders of the West decide that they should send millions and millions of unvetted foreign migrants into their countries,” he said.
Vance also spoke about the war in Ukraine and suggested that dialogue with all parties including Russia is the only way to bring the Russia-Ukraine war to an end. “I really believe we are on the cusp of peace in Europe for the first time in three years,” he claimed.
According to The Guardian, his comments underscore the administration’s view that past US and European policies on Ukraine were flawed. Just hours before his speech, Vance defended the administration’s stance on X, dismissing criticism of its Ukraine policy as ‘moralistic garbage’.
History of illegal immigration in US and Europe
These remarks made by Vance have a history and background. For decades, the issue of illegal immigrants has been a major concern for Europe and particularly to the US. According to the reports, in the US, most migrants come from Mexico, Central America, Venezuela, and Haiti. These migrants enter illegally in the US and Europe in the dream of a better life. They look for jobs, safety from crime, or escaping political problems in their home countries.
Thousands enter the US through its Mexico border each year — some crossing unlawfully, while others overstay their visas. Despite decades of federal efforts to tighten border security and reform immigration policies, the challenge persists. The government faces mounting difficulties, ranging from logistical hurdles in enforcement to political opposition from those who argue that undocumented migrants contribute to society by paying taxes and being good neighbours.
According to the reports, in Europe, migrants mostly come from Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. They take dangerous routes across the Mediterranean Sea or through Turkey and the Balkans. Many countries, like Italy, Greece, and the UK, struggle with too many asylum seekers, which leads to political tension. Some European nations have built border fences, made deals with Turkey and North African countries, and even proposed sending migrants to other places like Rwanda.
How is the US cracking down on it?
US President Donald Trump has been a long time opposition to the illegal immigrants issue. In his first term in the White House, Trump made several measures to tackle this challenge including building a wall at the US-Maxico border. But this time, he came on it brutally. The US President ordered the arrest of all illegal immigrants and is in the process of sending them to detention centres.
With the help of the Pentagon, the Trump administration is deporting back illegal migrants to their countries in military planes. For instance, the US sent three batches of illegal immigrants to India so far in a military plan, costing much more than the normal air travel. However, from the people of the US to the world, Trump’s brutal crackdown on illegal immigrants has seen strong criticism, especially the way illegal immigrants were treated during the time of deportation.
The article originally appeared on Business Standard.
