United States President Joe Biden has been working to address the migrant crisis in the country ever since taking office and rolling back his predecessor's immigration policies.
But now, the Democrat is now sounding increasingly like former President Donald Trump regarding immigration. He has been pressing Congress for asylum restrictions that would have been unthinkable during the time that he was elected as president.
Biden's recent decisions are being influenced by the situation as he faces mounting pressure not just from Republican lawmakers but also from his fellow Democrats. These include elected officials in cities that are located thousands of miles away from the border who are also feeling the effects of asylum seekers entering the United States in record numbers.
While the 2024 presidential campaign is shaping up as a possible rematch between Biden and Trump, immigration has become one of the focal points among the president's biggest potential liabilities. Biden has already embraced a sweeping bipartisan measure that is still being negotiated in the Senate, as per the Associated Press.
Last weekend, the Democratic president said that if that bill were the law today, he would shut down the border immediately and fix it quickly. This is because the measure would expand his authority to put strict new limits on border crossings.
However, the future of the said bill remains uncertain because former President Trump has opposed it and Biden's Democratic allies have become impatient waiting for their leader to act.
In a recent statement, Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a liberal Democrat, called on Biden to call up the National Guard. When the president declined the request, Hobbs did it herself at the expense of the state.
Senate negotiators have recently made a breakthrough on tougher immigration and asylum laws. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that the full text of the immigration package will include aid funding for Ukraine and Israel and is expected to be released soon and no later than Sunday, according to NBC News.
Ongoing Migrant Crisis
The Democratic lawmaker's proclamation came after key Senate negotiators said that they were able to strike a tentative deal to enact tougher immigration and asylum laws. This marked a significant breakthrough on a politically explosive issue.
The new deal would take a three-pronged approach to curbing chaos at the border by limiting asylum options for those who are outside the US. It would also raise the standard for migrants at the border to qualify for asylum and speed up the processing of claims, cutting off avenues of appeal and ending a practice that is known as "catch and release."
The situation comes as a vehicle convoy that was carrying Americans opposed to illegal immigration plan to rally at three points near the US-Mexico border on Saturday. Organizers of the event said they would focus on peaceful protest and prayer.
However, critics of the convoy expressed concern that it could fuel anti-immigrant sentiment during a time of acrimonious political sparring over the border and high numbers of migrant crossings, said Reuters.
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