In response to a rise in illegal crossings at the US-Mexico border, US President Joe Biden took action. Biden signed legislation that bars migrants caught crossing the border illegally from applying for asylum and allows them to be immediately deported or returned to Mexico.
A senior administration official said the new measures would take effect immediately and would make exceptions for unaccompanied minors, people facing serious medical or safety threats and victims of human trafficking.
Another official argued that the restrictions would be triggered if the number of arrests at the border exceeded a daily average of 2,500 over a week, and would be suspended if the number of daily arrests fell below 1,500. According to government statistics, there was an average of 4,300 daily arrests at the U.S. border in April last year.
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The executive order comes as Biden steps up efforts against illegal immigration, a stance consistently voiced by his rival, former President Donald Trump. Biden has pledged to roll back some of Trump’s restrictive immigration policies when he takes office in 2021.
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“President Biden has undermined American values.”
Republicans say the new restrictions are politically motivated and insufficient, while some Democrats have criticized Biden for undermining asylum access and adopting a Trump-like approach. Democratic Senator Alex Padilla said, “President Biden has undermined American values and abandoned our nation’s obligation to provide refuge in the United States for people fleeing persecution, violence and authoritarianism.”
