BIDEN’S IMMIGRATION ORDER: A RE-ELECTION BID THAT COULD RESULT IN ‘SUFFERING AND DEATH’
Meanwhile, human rights advocates say, Biden’s order – which is the latest in a number of policy changes aimed at drastically reducing access to the US asylum system – is unlikely achieve its intended purpose of reducing arrivals at the border.
Logistically, it is impossible to completely shut down the border, said Faisal Al-Juburi, chief external affairs officer at Raices, an immigrant support and advocacy group in Texas.
“Phrasing this as ‘shutting the border’ is much more of a PR statement,” Al-Juburi said. “When we look at actually about 30 years of deterrence practices, we know they don’t work long term. What we consistently see is that people just end up taking greater risks.”
The US saw high levels of crossings in decades prior, including in the 1980s and mid-2000s. However, people are now increasingly presenting themselves to authorities in hopes of getting protection.
Lawyers and advocates say deterrence policies, such as those outlined in Biden’s executive order, incentivise families in vulnerable situations to make desperate choices. “What we expect to see is a lot of people in desperate situations, for example, separate from their children, and send their children up across the border,” said Alvaro Huerta, director of litigation and advocacy at the Immigrant Defenders Law Center.
