Vice President JD Vance on Thursday invoked Senator Bernie Sanders' past opposition to open borders as he defended the Trump administration's latest immigration-related crackdown and criticized self-described socialists in the United States. The remarks highlight an unusual point of agreement between two politicians who otherwise occupy opposite ends of the ideological spectrum, and come as the administration moves to suspend several companies from a key employment-based immigration pathway and signals further scrutiny of visa programs used by businesses and universities. Speaking during a press conference announcing enforcement actions against companies accused of misusing employment visa programs, Vance argued that many contemporary socialist politicians have abandoned what he characterized as a traditional focus on protecting workers.
"It's funny, back in 2016, one of the most interesting things that happened was when Bernie Sanders, then, of course, the leading socialist in the United States of America, was asked about open borders," Vance told Newsweek at a press conference. "He gave an answer that sounded similar to Stephen Miller's, where he said, of course, we're not going to have open borders because that's going to displace American workers." Vance said he believes the modern American left has moved away from that position, arguing that immigration policies should prioritize U.S. workers over foreign labor. Vance's comments came while defending the Trump administration's decision to suspend Microsoft, Adobe and several IT outsourcing firms from participating in the Labor Department's PERM program, which allows employers to sponsor foreign workers for permanent residency.
The vice president said the administration's investigation found Microsoft laid off about 6,000 American workers while continuing to employ roughly 6,300 non-citizens hired through H-1B visas. Administration officials alleged that some companies used immigration programs to replace domestic workers with cheaper foreign labor. Vance suggested Sanders once shared a similar concern about labor-market competition from immigration.
He argued that Sanders' earlier rejection of open-border policies reflected a belief that unrestricted migration could undermine wages and employment opportunities for American workers. Vance contrasted that position with what he described as the views of many current socialist candidates. "It's honestly, it's a hard term to define these days," Vance said of socialism.
"Very often socialism, classically, you would think socialism is about prioritizing workers." While Sanders is one of America's most prominent progressive politicians, he has long distinguished between supporting immigration reform and endorsing open borders. During campaigns, Sanders argued that nations must maintain functioning borders and immigration systems even while pursuing broader humanitarian and economic reforms. Sanders has repeatedly said the United States needs secure borders, while also advocating for policies that provide legal status and a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants already living in the country.
He has supported stronger use of technology and personnel at the border while opposing large-scale wall construction as the primary enforcement solution. This is a developing story. Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Samantha Beech and Sam Wilson.
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