There’s a war going on along the U.S. border with Mexico. It’s a war over American sovereign territory. It’s a war that’s undermining American laws. It’s a war about drugs, especially fentanyl. It’s a war about sexual trafficking. It’s a war with Mexican cartels.  

It’s also a war against the many peaceful towns and cities along the border. It’s a war against working people and the economy. Yet you wouldn’t know there’s a war going on based on President Biden’s trip to El Paso, Texas, or his Mexico City meeting with Mexico’s president and Canada’s prime minister.  

In order to win a war, you have to fight. Mr. Biden won’t fight. In fact, none of them wants to fight. Take it from the president himself, as he said at Mexico City yesterday: “This has been the greatest migration in human history around the world as well as in this hemisphere. We’re trying to make it easier for people to get here — opening up the capacity to get here.” 

Then, the White House released what it’s calling a “Declaration of North America” at the conclusion of the 10th North American Leaders’ Summit. Six pillars have been created, allegedly to maintain regional security.  

Here’s the order of these pillars. First: diversity, equity and inclusion. Second: climate change and environment. Third: competitiveness. Then, maybe fourth: migration and development.  

Wait a minute, though: Even at fourth place, migration and development doesn’t mean what you might hope it means. They’re talking about welcoming record numbers of migrants and refugees. About promoting migrant and refugee integration. Protection for them. More asylum capacity. Expanding and promoting regular pathways, and then collaborating to counter xenophobia and discrimination.  

What? You think I’m making this up? I’m not. I’m reading from this White House release. This is the official stuff: “Now more than ever we need to identify and address the root causes of irregular migration and forced displacement.” 

Really? Irregular migration? That must be a typo. What they mean is “illegal” migration. The root cause of illegal migration is a failure to secure our American border. That’s the root cause.  

By the way, none of this means Americans should be against legal immigration. Or merit-based immigration. Or speaking English and knowing a little about American history immigration. Or people coming here who can add value to our businesses, workplaces, and economy.  

We need more of that, but that would take congressional action — something that never seems to get done. What’s going on down at the border is strictly illegal. It is a war, but the Bidens won’t fight the war. 

Of course, the numbers are well known. In 2020, President Trump’s last year in office, illegal border encounters were running at less than 40,000 this time of year. The next year, President Biden’s numbers were running about 175,000. Last year, the monthlies were running around 230,000.  

In 2021, there were 1.7 million encounters. In 2022, 2.4 million. We are headed for more than 3 million, almost without question, in 2023. That’s because Mr. Biden doesn’t have a policy.  

Oh, wait a minute — he does have a policy. It’s an open border policy. It’s an asylum and amnesty policy. There’s no drug policy. There’s no sex trafficking policy. There’s no waging war against Mexican cartels policy.  

He’s more concerned about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Or climate change. Yup, that’s a head-scratcher.  

Hat tip to columnist Byron York for saying Mr. Biden’s trip to the U.S.-Mexican border has made things worse. His minions cleaned up El Paso. He did visit briefly with some border agents. And his DHS secretary announced a new app called CBP-One for illegal border crossers, to make it easier.  

The deal is that they’ll use the app to make an appointment to enter the U.S. at some port of entry, so then border officials will let them in and then shepherd them someplace else in the U.S. So, it’s like making a reservation at a good restaurant. Presumably one with a gas-burner stove kitchen.  

Once you’re in legally through this new app, you’re in legally. I’m not making this up. I wish I were.  

I want to repeat my personal view: Much of the great success of this great country of ours can be traced to the role of immigrants. Legal immigrants: Statue of Liberty-type Ellis Island immigrants who came here at enormous cost, but participated in our government’s legal process and literally went on to make America great.  

We can do that again. We ought to do that again. But what’s going on in the war on our southern border has nothing to do with the great tradition of American immigration. Wars are lawless, destructive, and inhumane.  

This war could be won, for example, by keeping some sort of Title 42 for public health reasons, by reverting back to “Remain in Mexico,” by finishing the border wall, and by properly financing the various border control and policing resources necessary to guard America.  

Yet that’s not what the Bidens are doing, and they have no intention of doing it. Theirs is catch and release, while it should be catch and deport.  

Theirs is more illegal border crossings, while it should be vastly less. Theirs is accommodation, while it should be stop the flow.  

This so-called Declaration of North America that puts diversity, equity, and inclusion first, climate change second, and so forth, should be ripped up and thrown into the nearest trash can, as fast as possible, along with Mr. Biden’s policies. 

From Mr. Kudlow’s broadcast on Fox Business News.