Immigration is one of the most divisive issues facing the United States, as it is in many countries. An ICE agent’s killing of Renee Good in Minneapolis is only the latest outrage that has brought the issue to the fore.

Facing a 30 January deadline to renew funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which houses ICE, Democrats are now insisting on limits on ICE, at risk of another shutdown. It may be a pipe dream, but it is worth asking whether now might finally be a time to forge the long-elusive bipartisan agreement on immigration.

I believe deeply in the value of immigration – my father was an immigrant, as were my mother’s parents – but even I must admit that the current system needs fixing. Until recently, immigrants flooded the US-Mexican border. Rather than trying to sneak across as in years past, most presented themselves at a formal border crossing and sought asylum.

They proceeded entirely lawfully, but because their numbers overwhelmed the asylum system, it could take years for a claim to be considered, effectively allowing long-term residence in the United States before any ruling on the merits. That contributed to the perception that the asylum system was broken.

Joe Biden’s administration addressed the problem by maintaining the theoretical right to seek asylum but imposing restrictions, including making many migrants wait in Mexico where they were vulnerable to abuse and exploitation. Donald Trump has essentially withdrawn the right to seek asylum at the border, denying people fleeing war and persecution the opportunity to find a safe........

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