Biden aims to limit asylum at US-Mexico border
The president instituted significant restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the border


What happened
President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued an executive order to clamp down on asylum claims from migrants entering the U.S. across the southern border with Mexico.
Who said what
In order to preserve the U.S. as a "land that welcomes immigrants, we must first secure the border and secure it now," Biden said. It would be much better to "address this issue through bipartisan legislation," he added, but Republican lawmakers "left me with no choice." Biden's new order allows him to temporarily "suspend asylum claims in between ports of entry" when average migrant crossings surpass 2,500 per day over a seven-day period, Politico said. Since that threshold was met this week, the order took effect Wednesday. With certain exemptions, most undocumented migrants are to be repatriated.
It remains to be seen whether the new rules will have any "measurable impact on the border without an accompanying infusion of money from Congress to implement it," The Wall Street Journal said. Biden's proclamation is a "dramatic election-year move" and the "most restrictive border policy instituted" by any modern Democrat, The New York Times said. A similar 2018 effort by former President Donald Trump to cut off migration was "blocked in federal court."
What next?
The American Civil Liberties Union vowed to sue to block the measure. "An asylum ban was illegal under Trump and is just as illegal now," said ACLU lawyer Lee Gelernt to The Washington Post.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Rafi Schwartz has worked as a politics writer at The Week since 2022, where he covers elections, Congress and the White House. He was previously a contributing writer with Mic focusing largely on politics, a senior writer with Splinter News, a staff writer for Fusion's news lab, and the managing editor of Heeb Magazine, a Jewish life and culture publication. Rafi's work has appeared in Rolling Stone, GOOD and The Forward, among others.
-
July 5 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Saturday’s political cartoons include an extrajudicial detainment camp, 'alligator Alcatraz', and tax cuts for billionaires.
-
5 explosively funny cartoons about the 4th of July
Cartoons Artists take on liberty and justice for all, a terrifying firework, and more
-
Jeff in Venice: a "triumph of tackiness"?
In the Spotlight Locals protest as Bezos uses the city as a 'private amusement park' for his wedding celebrations
-
Judge blocks Trump's asylum ban at US border
Speed Read The president violated federal law by shutting down the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers, said the ruling
-
Supreme Court clears third-country deportations
Speed Read The court allowed Trump to temporarily resume deporting migrants to countries they aren't from
-
Court allows National Guard in LA as Dodgers repel feds
Speed Read The team said they 'denied entry' to ICE agents seeking to enter their stadium
-
ICE arrests NYC comptroller at courthouse
Speed Read Brad Lander was held for about four hours before being released
-
Trump ramps up Iran threats, demands 'surrender'
Speed Read Trump met with his top aides in the Situation Room on Tuesday
-
ABA sues Trump over 'law firm intimidation policy'
Speed Read Trump has 'used the vast powers of the executive branch to coerce lawyers,' the lawsuit said
-
Judge orders Trump's NIH grant cuts reversed
Speed Read Trump had attempted to slash more than $1 billion in research grants
-
Trump leaves G7 early, warns Tehran to evacuate
Speed Read Trump claimed to have left the summit due to ongoing issues in the Middle East