Biden reportedly preparing to limit asylum-seekers at Mexico border

President Joe Biden will issue the order Tuesday at the White House, according to reports by numerous news agencies. Under the order, immigration officials would reportedly be allowed to immediately deport migrants who cross the U.S.-Mexico border illegally without processing their asylum requests. The policy would reportedly take effect once the average daily number of illegal crossings reaches 2,500. The border policy would then loosen up once illegal daily crossings drop to 1,500, according to the Associated Press. Unaccompanied children would reportedly be exempt from the order.

Mayors from several border cities are expected to arrive at the White House on Tuesday for the announcement.

How many people have crossed the border recently? The U.S. Border Patrol saw a reduction in daily migrant apprehensions in May. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security has removed more than 720,000 illegal immigrants since the May 2023 end of Title 42, an emergency health rule that authorized expulsions.

How does Biden have the authority to do this? The Immigration and Nationality Act gives the president the authority to restrict foreigners from entering the country if it is “detrimental to the interests of the United States,” according to Section 212 (f).

The U.S. Senate in February failed to pass a national security supplemental that included funding to secure the border. Some lawmakers said the bill did not do enough to stem illegal immigration. Last month, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that any executive order would likely be challenged in court.

Dig deeper: Read Addie Offereins’ report in Compassion about the legal battle over immigration policy in Texas.