Democratic senators admit their party committed “political malpractice” on border security, which contributed to President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and the loss of four Senate seats. Senators believe the Biden administration mismanaged the surge of migrants at the southern border, leading to significant damage for their party.

Some Democrats view the May 2023 decision to lift Title 42 as a significant mistake that negatively impacted migration. Lawmakers also acknowledged that Biden’s delayed response to the crisis, coupled with rising costs and economic frustrations, alienated key voter groups, including Latinos.