What “Open Borders” Would Actually Mean:

No border patrol or immigration enforcement:

1. No detention or deportation of unauthorized entrants

2. No restrictions on who may cross

None of this has been U.S. policy under Biden.

What Actually Happened Under Biden:

1. Record High Border Encounters:

Over 2 million encounters annually from 2021 to 2023. Driven by global migration surges, not just U.S. policy.

2. Enforcement Continued and Increased:

Deportations rose under Biden — over 271,000 in FY2024, more than any year under Trump. Border Patrol staffing and technology investment remained in place.

3. Title 42 Expulsions (COVID-era authority):

Continued into Biden’s term, expelling migrants without standard asylum processing until May 2023.

4. New Restrictions Introduced:

In 2024, Biden implemented new asylum restrictions, requiring migrants to first seek protection in another country before applying in the U.S. Increased cooperation with other countries to reduce migrant flows.

In Summary:

No, the borders were not “open” under the Biden administration.

The U.S. continued to enforce immigration law — sometimes expanding it — while also struggling to manage historic levels of migration.