Biden on immigration: Humanity and stability in the face of a “broken” system

by

The US president, for whom this is a dangerous issue politically, has vowed to “safely and humanely” fix a “broken” immigration system

“Don’t come to the border” without first starting the legal process, US President Joe Biden urged migrants arriving in waves at the Mexican border on Thursday.

The US president, for whom this is a dangerous issue politically, promised to “safely and humanely” fix a “broken” immigration system in a speech at the White House, but acknowledged that this “difficult” problem will not be solved “overnight”.

Joe Biden has assured that the issue of “strengthening” the land border will be at the center of his discussions early next week with his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador in Mexico.

“We have a full agenda” for that meeting on Monday and Tuesday, which will also be attended by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the US president said in a speech at the White House, adding: “An important part of that agenda is strengthening of the borders between our countries”.

“We can secure our borders and fix immigration policy so it’s orderly, safe, and humane. We can do all of this without extinguishing the flame of freedom that brought generations of immigrants to America,” he said.

The president engaged in a balancing exercise. On the one hand, he denounced “extreme” Republicans, accusing them of “demagoguery” in the face of the immigration crisis, and on the other, he accused them of blocking his requests for funding to deal with the problem.

President Joe Biden today faced a weak point in his account: the immigration crisis on the southern border of the United States, where he will travel for the first time on Sunday.

The Democratic president, accused by the Republican opposition of turning a blind eye to unprecedented flows of migrants trying to cross into the country illegally, will stop in El Paso, Texas, before a summit on Monday in Mexico with the leaders of Mexico and of Canada.

There he will discuss “border control operations” and meet with lawmakers and local activists, a White House official said on condition of anonymity.

Biden will also use the opportunity to “urge Congress to accept funding requests” from his administration and to adopt a major overhaul of the immigration system, according to the same official.
Earlier today, the White House announced measures to try to ease the situation at the border, where more than 230,000 arrests were recorded in November.

Up to 30,000 skilled immigrants would be allowed to enter the United States each month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, but would have to arrive by air so as not to overburden border agents on the ground.

On the other hand, those who cross the border illegally will be more easily sent back, according to the White House. “This will expand and accelerate legal immigration pathways, but will have new consequences for those who do not use them,” he added in a statement.

Security

Large parts of the American economy, especially agriculture, depend on immigrant labor, but the immigration system is currently on the verge of collapse.

Immigrants, who want to escape poverty or violence in their countries of origin, often take great risks to enter the US.
More than 800 people died during the fiscal year, many drowning in the Rio Grande River, according to a Border Patrol official cited by NPR radio. These flows also put pressure on border locations, whose infrastructure cannot accommodate these migrants in decent conditions.

In the face of constant criticism from his opposition, as well as immigrant advocacy groups, Biden has so far remained rather cautious.
As he plans to run for a second term as president, he seems ready to tackle the issue. Before his visit to El Paso, he delivered a speech today “on border security” with Mexico.

Pandemic

So far, his administration has mostly limited itself to repatriating undocumented immigrants to Mexico, relying on a measure put in place by Republican predecessor Donald Trump during the pandemic.

In the name of the health crisis, this measure makes possible the immediate return of any irregular migrant stopped at the border by border guards, including potential asylum seekers.

This measure, called “Title 42”, is the subject of an intense legal dispute, the outcome of which will be known in June at the United States Supreme Court.

Pending the Supreme Court’s decision, the Biden administration must prepare to face new flows if the measure is eventually lifted.
The US government is asking for additional resources to strengthen the presence of border guards and is looking forward to a reform of the immigration system, with the legalization of many undocumented immigrants.

A bill in this direction, however, runs into Republican opposition.

Biden is not the first president to face this thorny issue, which depends heavily on conditions in the countries of origin and hits hard-to-reconcile positions between Democrats and Republicans.

You May Also Like

Recommended for you