President Joe Biden has been actively addressing the issue of border security reforms, which have become a significant focus of his administration. Immigration and migrant surges have emerged as a central political concern for Biden as he seeks to make his case for another term in office. His likely opponent, former President Donald Trump, has been criticizing Biden's approach to the issue during their respective campaign trails.
Recently, both Biden and Trump visited border towns in Texas to gain firsthand insight into the situation. A recent poll conducted in February revealed that only 30% of Americans approve of Biden's handling of the border issue. Furthermore, a substantial 79% of voters, spanning across party lines, believe that the current state of affairs at the border constitutes a crisis.
The White House has indicated that it is contemplating executive action to limit migrants' ability to seek asylum at the US-Mexico border if they have entered the country illegally. This proposed action is expected to face strong opposition from immigration advocates and progressive groups.
In an effort to tighten asylum regulations at the US-Mexico border, the Biden administration implemented a regulation last year that effectively prevented migrants who had passed through other countries en route to the US southern border from applying for asylum in the United States. This marked a departure from the longstanding protocol that had been in place for decades.
Biden has also sought to attribute the breakdown of a bipartisan border agreement to Trump, which was rejected by the Senate last month. The proposed deal included provisions for new emergency powers that would enable the Homeland Security secretary to close the border under specific conditions. Additionally, it raised the legal threshold for asylum eligibility during the initial screening process, among other measures.
