After four years of inaction regarding border control, Biden signed an executive order Tuesday, directly conflicting with his prior assertion that he lacked the constitutional authority to address soaring illegal border crossings.
The executive order will reportedly temporarily halt asylum claims “once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry, with the border reopening only once that number declines to 1,500,” according to The Associated Press.
However, earlier this year, when Univision anchor Enrique Acevedo asked Biden whether he could use executive authority to close the southern border, Biden replied, “There is no guarantee that I have that power all by myself without legislation.”
Biden now claims he can’t take executive action to secure the border because courts might rule against him (which didn’t stop him when he unilaterally canceled student loan debt — or when he opened the border via executive order) pic.twitter.com/JD704qaJfU
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) April 10, 2024
Reports indicate that Biden has allowed approximately 1.7 million known “gotaways” to enter the country since he took office. Overall, more than 10 million individuals have illegally crossed into the United States under his administration. Since Biden’s inauguration in 2021, he has reportedly weakened border security over 60 times. Speaker Mike Johnson stated that Biden “has manipulated the federal bureaucracy to open our borders to illegal immigrants, human trafficking, fentanyl, and potential terrorists.”
The White House announced on Tuesday, “President Biden believes we must secure our border.” However, his initial executive orders after taking office included halting the construction of the border wall initiated by former President Trump, lifting restrictions on immigration from countries with high terrorism rates, and expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, which has been criticized for encouraging child trafficking by cartels.
As Biden attempts to address his widely criticized immigration record, it is important to note that his executive order is unlikely to resolve the crisis fully. The order still permits thousands of migrants to cross the border illegally, up to 2,500 per day. Nearly half a million additional migrants could enter the country illegally before November without federal intervention.
It’s also worth mentioning that Biden’s action comes just months before the 2024 election. His approval rating has plummeted to 38.3 percent, with Americans consistently naming immigration as the “most important problem facing the U.S.”
The president is also gearing up for a debate with former President Donald Trump, the 2024 front-runner, who implemented policies like “Remain in Mexico” to curb illegal immigration. Trump is expected to critique Biden’s handling of border security.
