Steve Bannon, former White House Chief Strategist under Donald Trump, has strongly defended the former president’s immigration policies, claiming that Trump’s approach to border control successfully “shut down” illegal crossings into the U.S. Bannon, in an appearance on GB News, asserted that under Trump, illegal border crossings ceased entirely.
“Donald Trump shut down the border in 60 days,” Bannon said. “There’s no crossings.” He challenged long-held views about migration, adding, “For years, we were told that it was a natural law of physics that hundreds of thousands of people had to cross every month.”
Bannon pointed to recent media coverage, including a report from CBS News, which featured images of an empty southern border accompanied by the headline, “All quiet on the southern front.” According to Bannon, this exemplified the success of Trump’s border policies.
The former strategist also took aim at President Joe Biden’s tenure, claiming that under Biden’s administration, from January 2021 to January 2025, “10 million illegal alien invaders” crossed into the U.S. Bannon noted that Trump’s focus has been on deporting individuals with criminal backgrounds, while also emphasizing that broader border security measures are still necessary.
“We still need to build the wall,” Bannon said. “But there’s nobody coming into the country now.”
Bannon outlined the financial cost of addressing the immigration situation, revealing that a reconciliation bill—which still requires approval—has pegged the price of deporting the 10 million individuals who entered during Biden’s presidency at $170 billion. He expressed outrage at the figure, questioning, “If we need $170 billion to deport these people, how did that happen?”
Calling for accountability, Bannon suggested that those responsible for allowing the surge in illegal immigration should face legal consequences. “People that allowed that to happen should go to jail,” he stated.
Bannon also highlighted Trump’s aggressive stance on deporting criminal elements and terrorists, stating, “Trump has been very aggressive on the terrorists and criminal element.” He acknowledged the legal challenges facing the policy, explaining, “That’s where the federal judge steps in and says, hey, these guys should have due process rights.”
Despite these legal hurdles, Bannon emphasized that Trump’s position is clear: “I’m doing this as a military necessity to get these terrorist criminals out of the country, and you’re not going to stop me.”
Bannon predicted that the legal dispute would escalate rapidly, with the case likely to reach the Supreme Court within days. He stressed the constitutional questions at play, particularly whether a federal judge can intervene in the president’s role as commander-in-chief. “Can a federal judge step in the middle of the president performing his task as commander in chief?” he asked.
In Bannon’s view, the legal opposition to Trump’s policies comes from a politically powerless Democratic faction attempting to challenge the administration’s stance through the courts, rather than legislative channels. “They have no political power,” Bannon claimed. “They’re using the courts to do their bidding.”
Related topics:
- Schools and Immigrant Students Face Challenges Amid Rising Immigration Enforcement
- Global Immigration Recap: March 2025
- Germany’s Outgoing Government Claims Success in Tackling Irregular Immigration
