Former Secretary of State John Kerry says fellow Democrats let the U.S.–Mexico border fall "under siege," conceding in an interview that "Trump was right" about the need to enforce immigration laws.
What Happened: Speaking with BBC correspondent James Naughtie, the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee said he had warned former President Joe Biden that the party had "missed” on the issue of immigration for years.
"The first thing any president should say … is, ‘without a border protected, you don't have a nation,'" Kerry added, lamenting that Biden was not heard often enough promising strict enforcement.
Kerry's remarks come as illegal border crossings have plunged to near-record lows during President Donald Trump's second term. U.S. Customs and Border Protection logged just 7,181 Southwest apprehensions in March, a 95% drop from a year earlier under Biden. The agency reported zero migrant releases in May after Trump ended most asylum processing.
Asked if Trump would seize on the comments as vindication, Kerry replied, "He was right. The problem is we all should have been right."
Why It Matters: The former climate envoy said Democrats' hesitation opened a political advantage for the Republicans.
Republicans defend the crackdowns as integral to Trump's $45 billion detention surge authorized in the "One Big Beautiful Bill," which also expanded private-prison profits. Democrats counter that aggressive tactics mirror the family-separation furor of Trump's first term and say Biden's tougher stance late in his presidency was already cutting crossings.
Kerry's unusually blunt critique highlights a widening Democratic anxiety that immigration remains Trump's strongest issue heading into the 2026 midterms.
Photo Courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis on Shutterstock.com
Read Next:
© 2025 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
