The 2024 elections sent shockwaves through Washington, as Republicans decisively reclaimed the White House and both chambers of Congress, fueled by voter outrage over President Biden’s border crisis mismanagement.

With President-elect Donald Trump now set to return to the Oval Office, Democrats are privately conceding that their permissive immigration policies were a catastrophic miscalculation, as reported by The New York Post.

A Democratic senator admitted to The Hill under anonymity, “We destroyed ourselves on the immigration issue in ways that were entirely predictable and entirely manageable.” Pointing to “political malpractice,” the senator laid blame on their caucus for mishandling an issue that alienated working-class voters.

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Even New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ repeated warnings about the strain a porous border would place on cities fell on deaf ears. A source close to Adams revealed to The New York Post, He “warned for two years about overburdened cities and alienating working-class people — but they didn’t listen.”

The consequences were dire. Trump carried traditionally Democratic strongholds in South Texas and South Florida, making unprecedented gains among Hispanic and Black voters. According to exit polls, Trump’s proposed economic reforms, including eliminating taxes on overtime pay and tips, struck a chord with these communities.

Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded Biden after his July dropout, faced mounting criticism during her campaign.

Harris attempted to deflect blame, calling out congressional Republicans for stalling immigration reform while evading questions about her past support for policies like decriminalizing border crossings and taxpayer-funded perks for migrants.

Harris’s record, coupled with Biden’s decision to halt border wall construction, scrap Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy, and impose a deportation moratorium, proved politically fatal. As one Democratic senator told The Hill, “That’s not someone else’s fault. It’s Biden’s Achilles’ heel.”

Meanwhile, Democratic Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin distanced themselves entirely, leaving the party to become independents. Other prominent Democrats, like Sens. Sherrod Brown, Bob Casey, and Jon Tester, lost their re-election bids, swept away by Trump’s dominance in key battleground states.

Even as border crossings surged to record highs under the Biden-Harris administration, White House insiders dismissed warnings from key figures like Adams. Frustration boiled over when Adams publicly criticized the administration after campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez accused him of parroting GOP talking points.

One House Democrat bluntly summed up the party’s woes: “The story of this election and Donald Trump ultimately winning isn’t complicated. It came down to three things: inflation, the border and crime, and woke bullsh*t.”

Trump’s emphasis on securing the border resonated with voters, especially Hispanic and working-class communities who felt abandoned by Democrats. Policies like prioritizing deportations for criminal offenders and proposals to reform overtime and car loan taxes solidified his comeback.

As Democrats lick their wounds, voters have sent a clear message: the border crisis and progressive overreach won’t be tolerated.

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