Washington. Just months before the US presidential elections, the current Biden wants to curb irregular migration into the country with new border regulations. The headwind comes readily from all directions.
In the middle of the election campaign, US President Joe Biden is tightening the rules for migrants who enter the US irregularly from Mexico. “I’m doing what Republicans in Congress refuse to do: I’m taking the necessary steps to secure our border,” said the Washington Democrat.
The White House had already published a presidential decree according to which those affected could no longer apply for asylum in certain circumstances. Criticism came from both human rights activists and Republicans.
The presidential decree now stipulates that people who illegally cross the border can be deported more quickly. From now on, anyone seeking asylum will be subject to stricter controls and, among other things, will have to have a “credible fear” of persecution or torture in their country. Affected people then receive protection, but not under the same standards as other asylum seekers. However, anyone who shows up regularly, for example requesting an appointment outside the US using a specially designed app, should have a fair chance – at least that’s how the government presents it.
Biden accuses Trump of cynicism
Biden accused former President Donald Trump, who wants to beat him in November’s presidential election, of torpedoing urgently needed legislation in Congress to gain an advantage in the election campaign. “This is an extremely cynical political move and it fails the American people, who expect us not to weaponize the border, but to repair it,” Biden said.
He would have preferred non-partisan cooperation to better equip responsible authorities with personnel and finances using appropriate laws. “But the Republicans gave me no other choice.”
Exceptions to Biden’s executive order would apply to unaccompanied children and seriously ill people, as well as victims of human trafficking and direct threats. All others must be returned to Mexico or their respective countries of origin. Previously, most asylum seekers were generally allowed to stay in the country until their court date – which is often years in the future due to authorities being overwhelmed.
The new regulation will apply as soon as the average number of illegal border crossings in a week exceeds 2,500 per day. It will be canceled when that number drops below 1,500 again. US media reported, citing authorities, that there are currently more than 4,000. Since the start of the current financial year in October, there have been around 1.5 million “irregular encounters” at the southern border – that is, cases in which people have been arrested – the majority. for a short period or were deported directly. The number of cases was, therefore, higher than the same period in previous years – and in December 2023 it was even higher than ever in a single month. Authorities can hardly keep up with the processing of asylum applications. There is also a lack of housing and other resources for newcomers.
Doubts about viability and criticism from both sides
Given that the newly established limit has been exceeded, the measures should come into force immediately at midnight. However, a number of questions remained unanswered regarding the applicability of the decree. The US, for example, depends on Mexico for deportations. There are questions about whether the money currently approved is enough for additional border guard work — Congress would have to approve more federal aid. And the legal terrain may be shaky: the civil rights organization ACLU has already announced that it will file a lawsuit.
Biden has also received criticism from within his own party. Democratic Representative Pramila Jayapal spoke of a “dangerous step in the wrong direction.” The right to seek asylum is enshrined in U.S. law and the country’s international treaty obligations.
The United Nations has also emphasized the human right to asylum. “Anyone who claims to have a well-founded fear of persecution in their country of origin must have access to safe territory and have that allegation assessed before being deported or expelled,” said UN spokeswoman Florencia Soto Nino in New York. York.
Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson called the decree a “political coup in an election year.” It does not provide any new money for border protection or for the deportation of people already in the US illegally.
Migration as an ongoing political issue
Reforming immigration laws in the US has been discussed for a long time, but the hot topic is playing a particularly important role in the presidential election campaign. During his speech, Biden tried to differentiate himself from the comparatively aggressive rhetoric of his competitor Trump, who describes migration to the US as an “invasion”. “I will never demonize immigrants,” Biden emphasized. “I will never say that they poison the blood of a country.”
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The route via Mexico is chosen by many people fleeing poverty, violence and political crises in their home country and hoping for a better life in the USA. According to the United Nations International Organization for Migration (IOM), it is the deadliest land migration route in the world. Every year, hundreds of people die on the strenuous and dangerous journey north, for example, due to lack of water and heatstroke. However, the number of deaths is probably much higher, as many are never officially recorded in statistics.
© dpa-infocom, dpa:240603-99-265044/7 (dpa)