Former West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin, once a thorn in the side of conservative agendas, has just thrown his weight behind President Donald Trump’s latest policy pushes.
In a surprising turn on MSNBC’s “The Weekend” this past Sunday, Manchin, now an independent, endorsed Trump’s second-term strategies on immigration, border security, and crime, while taking a swipe at Democratic missteps on these fronts.
Let’s start with the border, where numbers don’t lie. According to Customs and Border Protection data, Border Patrol agents logged just 6,319 apprehensions along the U.S.-Mexico border in August, averaging a mere 204 arrests daily. That’s a far cry from the chaos of recent years.
Nationwide, border encounters in August totaled under 26,200—a staggering 93% drop from the monthly average under the Biden administration. Clearly, Trump’s team is clamping down, and Manchin seems to approve of the tighter grip.
Then there’s the Trump administration’s claim of four straight months without paroling a single unauthorized migrant into the country. If true, that’s a policy shift worth noting, especially for those of us tired of porous borders being treated as mere suggestions.
Manchin didn’t hold back on past failures either. “It was insane to spend three years before you did something serious about the border,” political strategist David Axelrod remarked, echoing frustrations many conservatives have felt for ages.
Shifting gears to crime, Trump’s recent efforts to clean up the streets of the nation’s capital are showing results, and Manchin is on board. If a state is drowning in lawlessness, why wouldn’t leaders welcome federal help?
As Manchin put it, “If I were crime-ridden in my state, I’d welcome all the help I could get.” That’s a pragmatic take—safety isn’t a partisan issue, even if some on the left might balk at Trump’s heavy hand.
Yet, Manchin’s support isn’t a blank check. He’s quick to caution against overreach, noting you “just can’t pick people off the street.” Balance matters, and even Trump fans can agree that power must be wielded with care.
Let’s not forget the elephant in the room: the Biden administration’s sluggish response to the border crisis. It took until the final year of Biden’s term to issue an executive order, after a jaw-dropping 6 million encounters at the southern border.
For months, Biden insisted there was nothing he could do—until he did. That kind of dithering doesn’t sit well with those of us who value decisive action over political posturing.
Manchin’s critique of his former party pulls no punches. “The Democrats should be saying, ‘Mr. President, we made a mistake. We’ll work with you on securing the border,’” he urged, pushing for a bipartisan path forward.
He didn’t stop there, though. “Will you work with us on legal immigration?” Manchin asked, highlighting the need for a system that upholds the law while recognizing America’s economic reliance on new arrivals.
That’s a fair point—legal pathways are the backbone of the American dream, not open borders or endless red tape. Manchin’s call for cooperation could be the olive branch both sides desperately need.
At the end of the day, Manchin’s unexpected alignment with Trump on these issues signals a broader frustration with progressive policies that seem more about optics than outcomes. Border security and safe streets aren’t just talking points; they’re the foundation of a functioning society. Maybe, just maybe, more leaders will take note and prioritize results over ideology.
