The Biden's Administration intends to expedite the asylum process for some migrants with a criminal record or deemed ineligible. This rule will allow initial screening officers to make a decision in an asylum case instead of waiting for a judge's decision. This proposal is only expected to have an impact on a small number of migrants and aims to simplify the system, but it has brought a lot of concern from immigration advocates over the equity of such screenings. The changes would also be proposed at a time of great debate and activity over reform of border policy. The Biden administration is under pressure, not only from Democrats, but also from immigrant rights groups to offer relief for those immigrants living for an extended period in the United States without documentation. In a recent meeting with Latino leaders, Biden expressed he was open to taking executive action in order to offer relief to immigrants that included deportation relief for the families of United States citizens and to extend temporary protected status to those from countries ravaged by disasters.
At the same time, Biden's administration is also preparing for the expiration of the public health order Title 42, which allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants over the border and has therefore limited the number of border crossings throughout the pandemic.
The administration is balancing stricter border enforcement with providing legal pathways for asylum seekers. The White House has panned a GOP bill that tightens the borders, constructs more border walls, and cuts asylum programs, with the statement that Biden would veto it if it passed through Congress. Biden's proposed rule is part of a larger approach to manage the complexity of immigration by way of enforcement juxtaposed with humanitarian relief. Allowing effective management of migration through the enforcement of the law calls for strategies that are consonant with American values and international obligations. Striking such a balance, however, is exactly what has eluded policymakers attempting to overhaul immigration policy in a politically charged environment.
Leave a comment!