A recent letter criticized the Herald for allegedly ignoring a “Biden/Harris open-borders policy” while now portraying deportations negatively (Herald, Dec. 12). That criticism is based on a premise that does not withstand factual review.
There was no open-borders policy under the Biden administration. Claims that 10 to 13 million undocumented immigrants entered the country with minimal vetting are a distortion that conflates border encounters with permanent entry. Encounters include expulsions, deportations, voluntary returns and repeat attempts. Not successful, unvetted immigration. Independent fact-checking shows that immigration laws remained in effect, border enforcement continued and removals never stopped.
The often-cited surge in encounters after May 2023 also requires context. That increase followed the end of Title 42, a temporary COVID-19-era public health policy implemented under the Trump administration. Its expiration did not “open” the border; it returned enforcement to standard immigration law, which includes asylum screening, detention and removal for those who do not qualify. Increased encounters reflected a policy transition, not an abandonment of enforcement.
Newspapers are not obligated to frame coverage around political narratives that are demonstrably false. Journalism requires verification, not repetition. If the Herald did not spend four years amplifying “open borders” claims, it may be because the facts did not support them.
Finally, reporting on the human and community impacts of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement actions is not the same as opposing enforcement. Especially in rural regions like Southwest Colorado, understanding how federal policy affects families, employers and local resources is part of responsible local journalism.
Readers deserve facts, not talking points, and the Herald appears to have reported accordingly.
Pascale Bauman
Durango
