President Joe Biden issued an executive order yesterday imposing new limits on the number of migrants allowed to enter the US at the southern border once a daily threshold is exceeded. The order allows border officials to turn away those crossing illegally without processing their asylum claims, using a law previously attempted by former President Donald Trump in 2018.
Under the policy, which takes effect immediately, asylum requests will be halted once the seven-day average of illegal crossings reaches 2,500 per day—April averaged 4,296 per day. Restrictions will be lifted when crossings decrease to under 1,500 per day for seven consecutive days. Limited exceptions will apply to migrants with prior authorization, unaccompanied minors, trafficking victims, individuals facing medical emergencies, and those with extreme threats to their safety. Those who cross illegally would be subject to a five-year ban from entering the US.
Republicans have criticized Biden's plan as a political maneuver ahead of the election, and legal challenges are expected.
Comments