WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Tuesday unveiled plans to enact immediate significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border as the White House tries to neutralize immigration as a political liability ahead of the November elections.
The White House detailed the long-anticipated presidential proclamation signed by Biden, which would bar migrants from being granted asylum when U.S. officials deem that the southern border is overwhelmed. The Democratic president has contemplated unilateral action for months, especially after the collapse of a bipartisan border security deal in Congress that most Republican lawmakers rejected at the behest of former President Donald Trump, the presumptive GOP presidential nominee.
People are also reading…
“The border is not a political issue to be weaponized,” Biden said, adding that he would have preferred deeper and more lasting action via legislation but that “Republicans left me no choice.”
President Joe Biden, left, speaks about an executive order in the East Room at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Biden unveiled plans to enact immediate significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border as the White House tries to neutralize immigration as a political liability ahead of the November elections.
Instead, he said he was moving past GOP obstruction to “do what I can on my own to address the border” while also insisting that “I believe immigration has always been the lifeblood of America.”
“This action will help to gain control of our border, restore order to the process,” the president said.
The order will go into effect when the number of border encounters between ports of entry hits 2,500 per day, according to senior administration officials. That means Biden’s order should go into effect immediately, because that figure is higher than the daily averages now.
Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!
