WASHINGTON – US Election 2024: On Tuesday, Americans will head to the polls amidst a backdrop of frustration and division, as recent polls indicate that nearly two-thirds of voters feel the country is moving in the wrong direction under President Joe Biden.
Despite the U.S. economy emerging from COVID-19 shutdowns with strong job growth and rising wages, many citizens are dissatisfied. They argue that these economic gains have been overshadowed by soaring prices for groceries and housing.
Biden initially promised a more humane immigration policy compared to the previous administration under Donald Trump, but he soon faced challenges as illegal border crossings surged.
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade dramatically altered abortion rights, igniting heated debates across the nation.
Additionally, Biden’s commitment for America to be a stabilizing global force has been challenged by various ongoing international conflicts.
Regardless of whether Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris emerges victorious, the next president will inherit a complex legacy from Biden, who successfully fulfilled some promises while others were disrupted or only partially accomplished. Here’s a breakdown of Biden’s performance on key issues during his time in office.
Immigration
Biden entered the presidency with intentions to reverse many of Trump’s strict immigration policies. He halted the construction of Trump’s border wall, ended bans targeting specific Muslim-majority countries, and dismantled the “remain in Mexico” program, which required asylum seekers to stay in Mexico while awaiting their U.S. cases.
However, as his presidency progressed, illegal border crossings surged, especially involving unaccompanied minors from Central America, straining the resources of U.S. border processing centers and attracting criticism from Republicans.
Illegal crossings hit record highs in 2022 and 2023 as new waves of migrants came from countries like Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, as well as outside the Americas.
In response to the rising migration numbers, Texas Governor Greg Abbott started busing migrants to Democratic-led cities such as New York and Chicago in 2022. Biden later supported a bipartisan bill aimed at enhancing border security, which ultimately did not pass in the Senate. By June of that year, he restricted asylum for most migrants entering illegally, leading to a notable decline in illegal crossings and countering claims that Harris and the Democrats supported open borders.
Despite the political complexities surrounding immigration, Biden established new legal pathways for hundreds of thousands of migrants and effectively revitalized the U.S. refugee program, admitting over 100,000 refugees in fiscal year 2024—the highest number in three decades.
Abortion
Biden’s presidency was marked by significant changes to abortion access, largely due to a Supreme Court ruling. In June 2022, the conservative majority on the court, thanks to Trump’s appointees, abolished the nearly 50-year-old federal right to an abortion established by Roe v. Wade.
This led to individual states determining their own abortion laws, resulting in several states enacting strict bans. Biden condemned the ruling, with his administration working through federal agencies to ensure access to emergency abortion care and defending the abortion pill in the courts.
In a significant victory, the Supreme Court rejected a case from anti-abortion proponents that aimed to revoke the FDA’s approval of mifepristone—one of the two medications used in the abortion pill regimen. However, other court cases argued by the administration regarding state laws and medical care were dismissed.
While Biden, who holds devout Catholic beliefs, has shown discomfort with abortion throughout his political career, addressing the implications of Roe’s repeal has become a major focus of his presidency. Democrats made abortion rights a pivotal aspect of their platform during the 2022 midterms, culminating in Harris making history as the first vice president to visit an abortion clinic.
Economy
Joe Biden may be remembered for overseeing one of the strongest economies, which many Americans nonetheless despise.
Since 2021, the nation has bounced back from a global pandemic that caused unprecedented job losses, with almost 16.5 million new jobs created. The unemployment rate has averaged around 4.2%, including the longest streak below 4% since the 1960s.
As gross domestic product growth averaged 3.2% per quarter, household net worth reached a record high of $163.8 trillion, thanks to rising stock market values and home prices.
However, despite these positive indicators, surveys have consistently shown that many Americans remain disillusioned. This discontent largely stems from the backdrop of soaring inflation, which reached a startling 9.1% year-over-year by the summer of 2022, leading to a plummet in economic sentiment.
While inflation rates have recently declined, many still feel the impact of higher costs and hold Biden and his party responsible for the burden.
Racial Justice
On his first day in office, Biden signed an executive order aimed at confronting systemic racism, police brutality, poverty, and inequities that affect Black Americans and other communities of color.
Progress has been sluggish. The George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, proposed in 2021 to curb aggressive police tactics and racial bias, stalled in Congress. However, in 2022, Biden directed the Department of Justice to create a national misconduct database for federal law enforcement and mandated investigations into deadly force incidents.
The administration has taken steps to improve economic opportunities for Black Americans, with significant investments in Black-owned businesses, historically Black colleges and universities, and maternal health.
Foreign Policy
Biden’s foreign policy has been heavily influenced by ongoing global conflicts, including wars in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as turmoil in Sudan. He entered the presidency with a promise to restore America’s global leadership and counter China’s growing influence.
In response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Biden rallied allies to support Ukraine and strengthen ties in Asia to counter China. However, despite significant U.S. military aid, the situation in Ukraine remains unresolved, and new alliances between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea have emerged.
The latest conflict in the Gaza Strip escalated after a deadly attack from Hamas on Israel, exacerbating tensions with Hezbollah in Lebanon and provoking retaliatory measures against Iran.
Biden’s firm support for Israel has created divisions within his party and complicated international criticisms regarding human rights violations.
Energy Transition
Biden took office with ambitious goals to combat climate change by transitioning the U.S. away from fossil fuels, aiming for a cleaner economy and job creation in the green sector. His administration has focused on stopping federal oil and gas leasing, enhancing solar and wind energy, and achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.
Biden has signed significant legislation such as the Inflation Reduction Act, which has led to hundreds of billions of dollars in investments for renewable energy and infrastructure projects, influencing job creation primarily in Republican states.
While there have been successes, such as the expansion of federal leasing for renewable energy and enhanced regulations on greenhouse gas emissions, challenges remain. The administration’s efforts to halt federal oil and gas leasing faced legal obstacles, and U.S. oil production surged, making the country the leading global producer. Projections suggest that, without additional measures, U.S. greenhouse gas emissions will fall short of Biden’s goals for 2030.
Reflecting on these various issues will be crucial as the nation prepares for the upcoming election and considers the path forward.
