U.S. immigration

Biden issues new asylum cap in bid to deter illegal border crossings

Author: Editors Desk Source: The Washington Post

June 4, 2024 at 13:38

Migrants from Jordan, China, Egypt and Colombia surrender to a border patrol agent after crossing into the U.S. from Mexico in Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif., May 15, 2024. (Adrees Latif/Reuters)

President Biden announced a new plan to shut off access to the U.S. asylum system when illegal border crossings exceed a daily threshold.US

President Biden issued new measures Tuesday that will block migrants’ access to the U.S. asylum system when illegal border crossings are high, a move aimed at shoring up one of his biggest vulnerabilities to reelection in November.

Biden is using executive authorities to impose the broad restrictions as long as illegal entries remain above an average of 2,500 per day, senior administration officials told reporters in advance of the president’s planned remarks at the White House Tuesday afternoon.

“President Biden will announce executive actions to bar migrants who cross our southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum,” said one of the senior officials.

The administration will send migrants deemed ineligible to their home countries or Mexico unless they express a convincing fear of persecution that would qualify them for an exemption under stringent screening procedures, the officials said.