US President Joe Biden took action following the increase in illegal crossings at the US-Mexico border. Biden signed a decree that will prevent migrants caught crossing the border illegally from seeking asylum, allowing them to be quickly deported or sent back to Mexico.
A senior official said the new measures would take effect immediately, with exceptions for unaccompanied minors, people facing serious medical or security threats, and victims of human trafficking.
Another official suggested that the restrictions kick in when the daily average of arrests at the border exceeds 2,500 in a week and will be paused when arrests fall below 1,500 per day. According to government statistics, there were an average of 4,300 arrests per day at the US border last April.
With the decree, Biden toughened his approach to illegal immigration, which his rival, former President Donald Trump, has repeatedly voiced as the presidential election on November 5 approaches. Biden took office in 2021 promising to reverse some of Trump's restrictive immigration policies.
"PRESIDENT BIDEN UNDERMINES US VALUES"
Republicans criticized Biden for suggesting that the new restrictions were politically motivated and inadequate, while some Democrats criticized Biden for undermining asylum access and adopting a Trump-like approach. "President Biden has undermined U.S. values and abandoned our nation's obligations to provide people fleeing persecution, violence and authoritarianism the opportunity to seek asylum in the United States," said Democratic Senator Alex Padilla.
