The administration of President Joe Biden on Thursday announced new policies designed to confront immigration problems at the nation's southern border and the protection of so-called Dreamers—the young immigrants who were brought into the U.S. as children. The latest efforts by the administration to rein in the flow of migrants and put a semblance of order into the process of asylum-seekers are stricter enforcement at points of entry and new criteria for asylum eligibility.
Democratic Party critics and immigration groups argue that many of these measures are similar to the restrictive policies of the previous administration. Aware of this, they go further to believe that if allowed to go through, they may undermine the rights of those asylum seekers. Notably, the policy would have people, often vulnerable, having to wait in unsafe conditions in other countries for their asylum claims to get processed. The advocates say that it is very important to protect the tradition in the United States in offering refuge to those fleeing persecution.
The Biden administration has defended these policies as measures needed for the effective management of the border and the restoration of order. According to officials, each of these measures is important for deterring attempted illegal crossing by people desperate to get in and for the efficient functioning of an immigration system. This, they argue, comes with humanitarian exceptions that enable them to safeguard the most vulnerable populations, like unaccompanied children and those with threatened circumstances.
The back-and-forth mirrors the complexity of immigration reform and the tightrope walk that any administration is bound to take between enforcement and compassion. As President Biden continues bafflingly to push for comprehensive immigration reform, he will need to consider party internally divisive issues on border security and the treatment of migrants. The steps taken so far by the administration should demonstrate a clear commitment to finding a workable solution that solves the crisis over immigration while securing the rights of immigrants and national security simultaneously.
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