Biden restricts asylum to ‘control border’

President Joe Biden has signed a comprehensive executive order to reduce the high number of migrants arriving at the US-Mexico border, which has made him politically susceptible during an election year.

According to the new order, effective at midnight, authorities can promptly deport individuals who enter the US unlawfully without going through the asylum application procedure.

The White House said this would occur whenever a daily limit is reached and the border becomes "overwhelmed."

Opposing Republicans argue that Mr. Biden's actions have not been sufficiently extensive. At the same time, several Democratic supporters of the president and the United Nations have voiced concern.

According to a representative from the United Nations refugee organization, those who are concerned about being mistreated should be able to seek sanctuary in a secure area.

Mr. Biden addressed the directive at a gathering on Tuesday, attended by many mayors from border towns. He said this measure will enable us to establish authority over our border.

The president admonished Republicans for failing to enact bipartisan immigration reform in Congress earlier this year and urged left-wing opponents of the new unilateral move to exercise patience.

"Our patience is running out at the moment," he said. "Inaction is not a viable choice."

Campaigners have criticized the order, which also seeks to expedite cases and alleviate strain on overwhelmed US immigration courts.

"Regrettably, politics are influencing the immigration discourse towards a more stringent stance," said Jennie Murray, the President and CEO of the National Immigration Forum.

Throughout Joe Biden's presidency, more than 6.4 million migrants have been intercepted while attempting to enter the United States unlawfully.

The arrival figures have significantly declined this year; however, analysts think that this pattern needs to be revised to persist.

The Mexican media has portrayed this action as one of Mr. Biden's most challenging initiatives. However, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador attempted to minimize the matter by asserting that the economic and cultural interchange renders a border shutdown "impossible."

Tijuana authorities inquired about the consequences for asylum applicants who refused admission into the United States.

A local authority said that shelters in the Mexican city might rapidly become overcrowded. "We would begin to observe individuals on the streets, residing in tents."

On Tuesday, a group of around twelve activists and Democratic senators held a separate news conference outside the US Capitol to criticize Mr. Biden's decision.

Pramila Jayapal, the head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, strongly disapproved of the presidential action and characterized it as a regressive move.

Contrary to Mr. Biden's viewpoint, other party members, such as Ruben Gallego, an Arizona congressman, expressed a different opinion, stating that more tasks still need to be accomplished.

The campaign supporting Donald Trump, who is running against Mr. Biden for the president as a Republican, has said that the order "constitutes amnesty rather than enhancing border security."

The White House said on Tuesday, after the president's declaration, that the new order would come into force when the number of encounters at the southern border surpasses our capacity to impose penalties promptly, which is the current situation.

One of the moves announced on Tuesday was using 1952 legislation to limit entry to the American asylum system.

Under 212(f), a US president has the authority to "temporarily prohibit the admission" of foreign individuals if their entrance is deemed to be "harmful to the interests" of the nation.

The Trump administration used the same policy to prohibit immigration and travel from certain primarily Muslim nations, as well as to prevent people from seeking asylum if they were caught entering the US unlawfully. These actions sparked allegations of prejudice.

"Although it is undeniable that the United States must improve its approach to addressing border challenges, the utilization of 212(f) authority is worrisome," said Ms. Murray.

Ms. Jayapal expressed her concern to the BBC over the potential for Mr. Biden's actions to initiate legal disputes.

"When Donald Trump engaged in this action, the ACLU, American Civil Liberties Union initiated legal proceedings, and it was subsequently determined to violate the Constitution," she said. "This executive order is distinct from others." Thus, circumstances could vary.

However, she also said there is a significant danger of us breaching our legislation.

The Biden administration intends to legally uphold the newly implemented laws, safeguarding them against any legal challenges posed by activists or states headed by Republicans.

The limitations will be implemented once the average daily crossings reach 2,500.

The White House said that these measures would be used when the southern border is inundated, and they will facilitate the expeditious removal of migrants who lack a legal justification to stay.

The border will resume accepting asylum seekers after the average number reaches 1,500 over seven consecutive days. Two weeks after that, it will also reopen to migrants.

Additional steps are focused on promptly settling immigration issues in court and expediting the deportation of those with no legal grounds to be in the United States.

The order ensures that the processing of asylum seekers at ports of entry will continue.

Approximately 1,500 individuals seeking asylum undergo the formal crossing procedure daily, primarily by scheduling appointments using a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) application called CBP One.

Guerline Jozef, the executive director of Haitian Bridge Alliance, an organization that assists Haitian refugees at the border, described the decision as a deliberate attack on the basic human entitlement to seek asylum.

"According to Ms Jozef, this policy implemented during the Trump era will result in a lack of protection and shelter for numerous vulnerable individuals, such as families, children, and those escaping violence and persecution."

During a press conference on Tuesday, top government officials refuted similarities to restrictions implemented during the Trump era, emphasizing that the new rules would be enforced during heightened influx.

It was said that exceptions would be granted for unaccompanied minors and those who are being trafficked.

Republicans, on the other hand, have denounced the Biden border idea as a political maneuver during an election year - and have advocated for more stringent measures.

They contend that there are already existing US laws in place to combat illegal immigration. However, they assert that the Democratic president is not adequately implementing these laws.

The authorities and the White House have attributed responsibility to Republicans who obstructed a bipartisan border security agreement that was unsuccessful earlier this year.

The White House said that Republicans in Congress prioritized partisan politics before national security.

The latest data from CBP reveals that around 179,000 instances of migrant "encounters" were documented in April.

In contrast, the number surged to 302,000 in December, reaching an unprecedented peak.

Authorities in the United States and Mexico have attributed the rise in enforcement to the efforts of Mexican officials.

The decrease in migrant crossings at the US border coincides with a politically tense period for President Biden.

Surveys indicate that immigration is a crucial political issue for many voters in the next presidential election in November.

According to a Gallup survey conducted in late April, 27% of Americans consider immigration the foremost problem confronting the nation, surpassing concerns about the economy and inflation.

In March, a separate survey performed by the Associated Press and NORC Centre for Public Affairs Research revealed that a majority of Americans, two-thirds, now express disapproval of Mr. Biden's management of the border. This disapproval includes around 40% of Democratic supporters.