Asylum-seekers at the US-Mexico border worry about their next move: ‘We cannot return’
GuardianMay 28
Biden Administration Tightens Asylum Policy
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Above: Pres. Joe Biden at the southern border in Feb. 2024. Image copyright: Houston Chronicle/Contributor/Hearst Newspapers via Getty Images
The Facts
Amid concerns for Kamala Harris's presidential campaign over potential vulnerability relating to immigration policy, the Biden administration on Monday tightened asylum restrictions at the southern border with Mexico.
According to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the move was made "in parallel with other Administration actions" aimed at increasing "enforcement" and providing "safe and lawful pathways to humanitarian relief" for asylum seekers.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Biden executive order has been working effectively, but there's always room for improvement. This tightening of asylum rules is smart policy and savvy politics, as the administration has to show it will continue to be tough on illegal immigration if Harris wins. There are still plenty of safe, humane ways for migrants to apply for asylum and gain entry to the US.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Biden administration should be ashamed of this cruel, politically-motivated tightening of its asylum policy. Families and vulnerable individuals fleeing danger in their home countries shouldn't be at risk because the administration wants to look tough on immigrants the month before an election. This xenophobic, racist policy will haunt Biden and the Democrats.
Republican narrative
The administration is playing a shell game while trying to fool the American people into believing it's being tough on illegal immigration. While the asylum policy may be reducing the number of border encounters, the administration is running programs to bring hundreds of thousands of unvetted migrants into the country, making our communities less safe. Biden, and the Democratic Party more broadly, is a failure when it comes to immigration policy.
