President Joe Biden on Tuesday signed an executive order to restrict asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, using a controversial regulation last introduced by his predecessor.
The new restriction will effectively halt the number of migrants able to cross into the U.S. once a daily cap has been reached and allow officials to swiftly deport those who enter illegally.
The measure would kick in once illegal entries surpassed 2,500 per day over a seven-day average, which means it would take effect immediately as crossings already surpass that figure.
Legal challenges are expected, with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) telling Newsweek on Tuesday that it would be reading the order closely.
Following the White House announcement, the ACLU confirmed it would sue, just as it had during the Trump administration.
Genuine question, does anyone have any better suggestions that can be implemented in a reasonable timeframe? Immigration is a bad economic target for so many reasons, but Americans overwhelmingly view it as a critical issue. When 1 in 5 of your citizens, regardless of party, considers it the most pressing issue right now in an election year and it is the thumping drum of your opponent, you’re going to be under a lot of pressure to act. I don’t want this EO to happen but I kind of have to be willing to say I’m in the vast minority in my country, evidently. This is a social/educational problem to solve first, I think.
Immigration has been a floating issue for the past years. Both parties are now viewing it as an issue because the Democrats have recently adopted the Republican stance of fearmongering on immigration and posturing who is the most hardliner for anti-immigration. It is a self fulfilling prophecy.
If Biden wanted to do something about it he should have started years ago. Flipping the nitro switch 6 months before the election when his decision is likely illegal and will be undone in the period leading up to the election, I can’t see this benefiting him.
European research has also revealed that pandering to right wingers does not get them to vote for you: https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/jan/10/adopting-rightwing-policies-does-not-help-centre-left-win-votes