“Why Now?”: Biden’s New Immigration Policy to Limit Asylum Seekers Faces Quick Criticism in Texas
In response to a surge in unauthorized crossings, the Biden administration issued a restrictive executive order in June 2024 that effectively suspends asylum protections at the U.S.-Mexico border when daily encounters surpass a specific threshold. This immigration policy, which utilizes the same legal authority once invoked by the Trump administration, mandates that migrants who enter between ports of entry be quickly deported or returned to Mexico without the opportunity to seek humanitarian relief. The refugee advocacy group RAICES has been vocal in its opposition, condemning the measure as a "betrayal" of campaign promises and a violation of international human rights law. RAICES joined other legal organizations in warning that these border enforcement tactics will trap vulnerable families in dangerous conditions and further dismantle the U.S. asylum system, prioritizing political optics over the safety of asylum seekers.
