The White House announced that U.S. President Joe Biden will temporarily close the border with Mexico to asylum seekers. It was expected that Biden would issue an order on Tuesday allowing for the temporary closure of the U.S.-Mexico border to immigrants when the number of illegal crossings becomes excessively high, in an effort to address one of his political weaknesses in his re-election battle against Donald Trump. U.S. media reported that Biden, 81, would sign a long-awaited executive order that permits officials to respond to asylum seekers and migrants when the daily number reaches 2,500. Under this order, authorities will be able to deport migrants who entered the U.S. without the required documentation.
Since the number of illegal crossings is often above this limit, a border closure may be implemented immediately, according to U.S. media. Under this measure, asylum seekers would be allowed to enter again once numbers fall below 1,500 per day. This decision would be one of the toughest taken by a Democratic president, bringing him closer to the immigration policies championed by Republican Trump, especially as polls show that this issue significantly impacts Biden's re-election chances in November.
Before the announcement, Trump's campaign rejected the executive order, labeling it "for amnesty, not for securing the border." They reiterated Trump’s repeated claims that undocumented immigrants are responsible for rising violent crimes, a claim not supported by data published by law enforcement or major academic centers. Sources familiar with immigration policies told Agence France-Presse that the announcement is expected on Tuesday, though the White House did not confirm reports that Biden would sign the executive order at a ceremony attended by border town mayors.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated on Monday: "What I can say is that we are continuously and always exploring all options to try to seriously address the immigration system, which has been broken for decades." Jean-Pierre blamed Congressional Republicans for refusing to cooperate and blocking billions of dollars for the border that the president sought as part of a package that included funding for Ukraine and Israel, stating: "They have chosen to stick to partisan politics over cooperation."
Biden aims to weaken Republican attacks and attract voters concerned about the situation at the border, but his plan is likely to provoke anger among left-wing Democrats, and civil rights groups are almost certain to challenge it in court. Over 2.4 million migrants crossed the southern border of the U.S. in 2023 alone, most of whom were from Central America and Venezuela. The number of migrants peaked at a record level of 10,000 daily in December. Although this number has significantly decreased in recent months, polls show that this issue is one of the biggest problems facing Biden in the election.
During his term, Trump attempted to build a wall along the Mexican border and significantly ramped up his anti-immigration rhetoric while seeking to return to the White House. He repeatedly spoke of migrants "poisoning the blood" of the United States, claiming he would carry out the largest deportation operation in history upon taking office. In contrast, the Biden administration has sought to reduce crossings by cooperating with Mexico and other countries to limit migrant flows through law enforcement and economic incentives, but polls indicate that voters do not believe he is doing enough.
Biden's announcement will come a day after he spoke with Claudia Sheinbaum, the newly elected first female president of Mexico, to congratulate her and pledge a "strong and cooperative partnership."
