We have communities all across this nation that 20 years ago, before the era of open borders, were completely peaceful, completely stable.

The claim that communities across the U.S. Were completely peaceful and stable 20 years ago before an era of open borders is misleading because it inaccurately characterizes both the state of those communities and the immigration policy context.

At a glance

Key Evidence

Verified July 15, 2025

The U.S. Has not had open borders in the last 20 years; immigration laws have been enforced continuously with no period accurately described as 'open borders'.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Community peace and stability vary widely and cannot be generalized as 'completely peaceful' nationwide two decades ago.
Border enforcement policies have nuanced impacts rather than straightforward effects on community stability.

The reporting

What the Evidence Shows

The claim contains two main components: first, that many U.S. Communities were completely peaceful and stable 20 years ago; second, that this was before an era of open borders. Regarding the first component, while some communities may have experienced relative peace and stability two decades ago, it is an overgeneralization to say that communities across the nation were "completely peaceful" and "completely stable.

" Crime rates and social dynamics vary widely by location and over time, and many areas have faced challenges unrelated to immigration policy. Regarding the second component, the United States has never had "open borders" in the modern sense, especially not in the last 20 years. Immigration laws and border enforcement have been in place continuously, with varying degrees of strictness.

The notion of an "era of open borders" in the last two decades is factually incorrect; immigration policies have generally become more restrictive or enforcement-focused during this period.pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov Furthermore, research indicates that border enforcement policies have complex effects on migration patterns and community stability. The claim conflates immigration policy debates with community conditions without supporting evidence linking increased immigration or border enforcement changes directly to community peace or stability.

Therefore, while there may be kernels of truth about changes in immigration policy and community conditions, the claim as stated is misleading because it oversimplifies complex social realities and misrepresents U.S. Immigration policy history.

Primary trail