Early in February, President Biden formally issued a proclamation to end the fake “national emergency” Trump declared on the U.S.-Mexico border. But as of right now, 3,600 active duty troops are staying put.

People seeking safety and asylum should be met with humanitarian aid and open arms. Instead, the U.S.-Mexico border is a place of chemical weapons, detention centers, barbed wire, walls, and active duty troops. 

While Biden is making positive moves, unless the U.S. southern border — and U.S. immigration policy — is fully demilitarized, there’s no way they’ll ever be enough to truly get us away from where we’ve been. We’ve got to start moving toward where our professed values push us to be. And we’ve got to do it fast. 

The militarization of the border has got to end. It will, but only if we show the Biden administration that there’s massive public support for them to do it.