ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Wes Moore said the United States has not developed an effective immigration system under any presidential administration, arguing that only Congress can deliver a lasting solution.
In an interview with CBS News, Moore addressed federal immigration policy and the roles of recent presidents, saying the country has struggled for decades to balance border security, enforcement, and the handling of migrants and asylum seekers.
Moore said Joe Biden “needed to do more” on immigration enforcement and reform. He also criticized Donald Trump, describing his administration’s approach as a crackdown that did not resolve long-standing challenges in the system.
He said problems at the southern border and within the broader immigration framework reflect structural failures in federal lawmaking, not just executive branch decisions. While presidents can use executive authority and take administrative actions, Moore argued those steps are temporary. Only Congress, he said, can pass comprehensive legislation capable of addressing the scale and complexity of immigration issues.
Moore added that the lack of congressional action has left states and local governments managing the downstream effects of federal policy gaps. Governors and mayors, he said, are responding to migrant arrivals, pressure on housing and social services, and public concern while operating within limits set by federal law.
He said immigration debates in Washington have become highly partisan, making consensus difficult and preventing durable reforms.
Moore said presidents can adjust enforcement priorities, alter regulations and respond to migration surges, but only Congress can change visa caps, asylum standards and the legal categories that define who can enter, stay and work in the country. The mismatch, he said, has led to cycles of policy changes, court challenges and administrative backlogs.
Moore spoke as immigration remains a central issue in national politics. Republicans in Congress and several state officials have faulted the Biden administration for increases in encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border, calling for stronger enforcement measures and tighter asylum rules. Many Democrats and immigrant advocacy groups have criticized Trump-era policies such as family separations and expanded restrictions while calling for protections for Dreamers and undocumented immigrants with long-term U.S. ties.
Moore said no president has fully solved these competing demands and that the absence of a comprehensive federal statute continues to affect border communities, interior cities and the national labor market. Uncertainty in the system, he added, impacts migrants, employers and public agencies alike.
He said the responsibility for long-term change rests with Congress and called on federal lawmakers to act after years of failed attempts at broad reform, saying sustained legislative action is the only way to create a stable and predictable immigration framework.
