Immigration is a serious problem for Democrats in the 2024 presidential election. As everything else in the country, it is polarized and lacks a middle road solution.

Many Americans fear a return to Donald Trump’s policies of separating families or states illegally putting barbed wire obstacles in rivers and letting migrants drown. In response, progressive people have been willing to accept high levels of undocumented immigration and oppose enforcement measures. Unfortunately, it creates chaos at the border.

In response, many U.S. citizens fear the increase in illegal immigration of the last two years. Cities close to the border are unable to accommodate the amount of refugees coming in. Working-class Americans already struggling for income fairness are afraid the gains they have made will be taken away by immigrants working for less.

The problems are real and the Biden administration has been struggling to find a solution. In the meantime, Trump’s inhumane solutions are gaining momentum and might get him elected in November.

With climate change, wars and despotic governments, illegal immigration is not going away, and the U.S. and other rich stable countries will be affected. People by nature want to improve their life and the lives of their loved ones so they will move where the sun shines. But it is impossible for us to solve the problem of all the displaced people. The numbers are too high and will probably continue to increase.

We should accept that we have a duty to help. We should also be clear that immigration is necessary to the well-being of our country. But we also need to make sure migrants stop assuming that as long as they can reach U.S. soil, they will be able to stay for years while we slowly process their requests for asylum.

This is not sustainable. I worked with Haitian families who were accepted as refugees. To their great dismay, more than a year after they arrived, they were still eagerly waiting for work permits. In the meantime, their basic costs (rent, food, health care) were paid by our tax dollars. These families I knew were featured on a PBS special about immigration.

I support strong immigration that meets U.S. needs but want border security. The Biden administration has started to require migrants to schedule an appointment before entering a legal border crossing and are asking them to make that appointment from abroad. The administration also gives priority to countries where people live in dangerous conditions.

It is a good policy. Some people will be left behind, but I can support a process that is good for us and for the people who make it in. Most of us (Democrats or Republicans) can live with helping a sustainable number of people as long as it is good for them and for us!

Anne-Louise Smallen lives in Northampton.