Biden’s Immigration Order: A Re-Election Bid That Could Result in ‘Suffering and Death’
In early June 2024, President Joe Biden issued a sweeping executive order designed to drastically curtail asylum rights at the US-Mexico border, a move aimed at neutralizing immigration as a political vulnerability ahead of the 2024 presidential election. The directive triggers a temporary border closure when daily illegal crossings exceed 2,500, allowing authorities to rapidly deport migrants without traditional screenings—a strategy utilizing Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. Human rights organizations, including RAICES, joined a coalition led by the ACLU to file a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that the policy is legally indistinguishable from previous Trump administration bans and will cause immense suffering. RAICES and other advocates contend that these restrictive measures violate federal law and force asylum seekers into more dangerous, life-threatening conditions, effectively abandoning the president's campaign promise to restore a more humane immigration system.
