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Biden Issues Executive Order To Curb Migrant Arrivals At US-Mexico Border

President Joe Biden has issued a comprehensive executive order aimed at addressing the record migrant arrivals at the US-Mexico border, a politically sensitive issue in an election year. The order allows for the quick removal of migrants entering the US illegally without processing their asylum requests once a daily threshold is met and the border is “overwhelmed,” according to a White House statement.

During an event with border town mayors, Biden stated, “this action will help us gain control of our border” and criticised Republicans for not passing bipartisan immigration reform in Congress this year. He urged progressive critics to “be patient,” noting, “We’re wearing thin right now. Doing nothing is not an option.”

There have been mixed reactions to the decision, with rival Republicans arguing that Biden’s measures are insufficient, while some Democratic allies and the United Nations have expressed concerns. A UN refugee agency spokeswoman opined that those fearing persecution should have access to safe territory.

The order also aims to expedite cases and alleviate pressure on overburdened US immigration courts, drawing criticism from activists like Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, who lamented the political drive towards increasingly restrictive immigration policies.

Murray said, “It’s unfortunate that politics are driving the immigration conversation in an increasingly restrictive direction.”

Since Biden took office, over 6.4 million migrants have been stopped from crossing into the U.S. illegally, though arrival numbers have dropped this year.

Mexican media have called the move one of Biden’s toughest policies, but President Andrés Manuel López Obrador downplayed the issue, citing the impossibility of border closure due to economic and cultural exchange. Authorities in Tijuana expressed concerns about potential overcrowding in shelters if asylum seekers are denied entry to the US, warning that it could lead to people sleeping on the streets.

Democratic lawmakers and advocates held a press conference outside the US Capitol, criticising Biden’s decision. Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, called the executive action a “step in the wrong direction.” Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego acknowledged
that there is still “more work to do”.

In a statement on Tuesday, the White House said that the new order “will be in effect when high levels of encounters at the southern border exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences, as is the case today.”

Among the actions announced on Tuesday were the use of a 1952 law that allows access to the American asylum system to be restricted. The law, known as 212(f), allows a U.S. president to suspend entry of foreigners if it is “detrimental to the interests” of the country. This law was previously used by the Trump administration to implement travel bans from several predominantly Muslim countries and bar migrants from asylum if they were apprehended crossing into the US illegally, leading to accusations of racism.

The White House stated that the measures
“will make it easier for immigration officers to quickly remove individuals who do not have a legal basis to remain,” when the southern border is overwhelmed.

Melissa Enoch