Vermont senator commends Trump on border issues while criticizing Biden.

Bernie Sanders Acknowledges Trump’s Immigration Policies

In a recent episode of The Tim Dillon Show, Sen. Bernie Sanders offered unexpected praise for President Donald Trump’s approach to immigration, suggesting that Trump has “done a better job” than President Biden when it comes to border security. Sanders encouraged Democrats to revisit a more enforcement-oriented stance on immigration.

“As long as there are nation states, we need borders,” he stated. “Without borders, there is no nation.” His critique of Biden was pointed: “Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, but the border has to be secure and it’s not that hard to do. Biden didn’t do that.”

This commentary, aired on a Wednesday podcast and gaining traction on social media platforms, highlights a significant divergence between Sanders and the Democratic Party. Particularly notable is his assertion that multiple administrations, including Biden’s, have failed to enforce immigration laws effectively.

Sanders has previously expressed concerns over the rhetoric surrounding “open borders,” especially during his 2020 presidential campaign, where he warned of potential pitfalls. He maintained that the U.S. possesses both the technology and the skill set necessary to secure the border, yet claims both parties’ leadership fall short on this issue.

“I’m not going to sit here and talk about the whole thing,” he remarked, briefly acknowledging the complexities of Biden’s performance in office.

His comments came while promoting his latest book, which touches on several topics, including economic inequality. This marks a shift from his earlier stance; during the 2020 campaign, he dismissed the notion of a “border crisis” and criticized Trump for allegedly demonizing immigrants.

Sanders pointedly noted the record high of migrant encounters reported by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which logged 2.47 million in 2023—a significant jump from approximately 458,000 during the last year of Trump’s presidency.

This change in Sanders’ tone is striking, considering he previously challenged calls for urgent action at the border, labeling such approaches as unnecessary. By now advocating for border security, he seems to echo long-standing conservative views.