(RepublicanReport.org) – Illegal immigration has been a hot-button topic throughout most of President Joe Biden’s tenure in the White House. In the past few years, millions of migrants have crossed into the country over the Southern border. Republicans have consistently called out the Biden Administration for its perceived failures. Now, the White House and Biden have taken action.
Biden Signs Executive Order
In a Fact Sheet published by the White House on Tuesday, June 4, it laid the blame on Congressional Republicans for failing to act to secure the border. It lists several actions the administration has taken, including “deploy[ing] the most agents and officers ever to address the situation … seiz[ing] record levels of illicit fentanyl at our ports of entry,” and drawing together world leaders to help develop a framework addressing the “changing migration patterns.”
The briefing goes on to say that President Biden is now acting to secure the border. To do that, he has signed an executive action that will temporarily shut down the Southern border. It specifies that it would only close once the maximum threshold of 2,500 across all ports of entry is reached. However, because it’s already at those levels, the shutdown would go into effect immediately, per a senior administration official. It would reopen when the number of daily encounters drops to 1,500. There will be some exceptions, such as those for unaccompanied children.
The senior official also said that “individuals who cross the southern border unlawfully or without authorization will generally be ineligible for asylum,” and those who don’t meet the requirements — they must display a “credible fear” — will be immediately removed within a matter of hours or days.
Will it Face Legal Action?
Biden’s executive action is very similar to the one former President Donald Trump signed in 2018. That measure faced legal challenges and was eventually blocked. Trump’s campaign was also quick to slam Biden’s action, saying that the exceptions give way for sex and child traffickers to enter the country. The Biden Administration is reportedly expecting to have to defend the measure against legal challenges.
Republicans had mixed reactions about the executive action. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) spoke out and said the president “intentionally” created a border crisis, and his action carries “more political risk than political benefit” because Democrats will reject it. At least one, Texas state Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. (D), is on board, calling it a step in the right direction.
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