Yes, Bernie Sanders voted against H.R. 4437 in 2005, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act, which included measures to strengthen border enforcement and add fencing. He also opposed the 2024 bipartisan Border Act (S.4361), citing concerns over tied foreign aid, despite its provisions for expedited border security funding and asylum restrictions. His record shows support for some fencing in 2006 but consistent resistance to bills emphasizing strict enforcement without broader reforms.
Bernie Sanders has long maintained that nations require borders to safeguard domestic workers from exploitation, as evidenced by his 2015 critique of "open borders" as a corporate ploy to suppress wages. His opposition to bills like H.R. 4437 (2005) and the 2024 bipartisan deal stemmed from demands for paired reforms, not outright rejection of security—though this stalled enforcement. The timing of his praise for Trump's approach amid Biden's failures and rising public demand suggests tactical adaptation, but aligns with his consistent rhetoric, making full disingenuousness unlikely; it's more ideological consistency meeting political reality.
Bernie Sanders voted for the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, which expanded border enforcement and penalties for illegal entry. He also supported S.744 in 2013, authorizing more border agents, technology, and fencing as part of comprehensive reform. Rhetorically, Sanders has consistently advocated secure borders to shield U.S. workers from wage suppression, as in his 2015 remark that open borders serve corporate interests over American labor.
