Testimonies gathered in Mexico show expectations of a migration change after the elections, but regaining the House would not allow Democrats to dismantle Trump’s policies on their own.

Migrants interviewed by journalist Oscar Ramírez claim they are waiting for the outcome of the November elections before attempting to reach the United States. The expectation is that a Democratic victory in the House of Representatives could open up a different migration scenario.

  • Why it matters: A Congress with a greater Democratic presence could push for changes in immigration, but that does not automatically mean a more open border or the end of the measures promoted by President Donald Trump.

Migrants Await a Political Signal from Washington

US Elections and Border
US Elections and Border – Photo: Shutterstock

The testimonies gathered by Ramírez raise a question that goes beyond migrant caravans: what could really change after November?

The expectation expressed by some migrants is that Democratic progress will facilitate re-entry into the United States. However, the proposals currently being promoted by sectors of the party show a more complex landscape.

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The New Democrat Coalition, made up of 115 moderate Democratic House members, presented a framework that combines increased border security with more opportunities to enter the country legally.

  • The proposal: It includes more resources for US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), changes in visas, and deportations focused primarily on individuals convicted of crimes.

The approach seeks to distance the party from the idea that a Democratic migration policy necessarily means reducing border controls.

US Elections and Border: Dreamers and TPS Beneficiaries Among Priorities

Another Democratic sector is trying to advance the American Dream and Promise Act.

Congresswomen Delia C. Ramirez and Sylvia Garcia promoted a discharge petition, a mechanism that allows forcing a vote in the House if it gets the signatures of 218 representatives.

The project would allow certain undocumented youth who arrived in the country as children to have a path to citizenship. It would also allow eligible TPS and DED beneficiaries to obtain legal permanent residence.

  • What changes: A Democratic majority could facilitate the arrival of migration initiatives to a vote in the House, although approving them there is not enough to turn them into law.

Democrats Also Disagree on What to Do with ICE

Internal differences were exposed during a meeting of the Democratic National Committee, according to ABC News.

The party approved resolutions with different positions: one called for concrete reforms to US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), while another proposed abolishing the agency.

The votes are not binding and do not automatically establish the party’s national platform.

  • The division: While progressive sectors seek profound changes in ICE, moderate Democrats try to combine migration controls with more legal avenues.

This difference will be important if the party gains new seats in November.

Winning the House Would Not Allow Democrats to Erase Trump’s Policies

The greatest contrast between the expectations of some migrants and political reality lies in the limits of Congress.

Controlling the House would allow Democrats to promote projects, hold hearings, exercise oversight, and dispute migration priorities. However, a Democratic House does not control federal policy on its own.

  • The limit: To turn a migration reform into law, the Senate and the president are also involved.

Therefore, the November elections could modify the political battle over immigration without automatically producing the change that some migrants in Mexico expect.

The real dispute would be over which policies can advance and which can be stopped while Trump remains in the White House, according to the New Democrat Coalition, ABC News, and Ramirez House.