U.S. President Biden Visits U.S.-Mexico Border Amidst Republican Criticism
President Biden Visits U.S.-Mexico Border, Announces Policy Changes
President Joe Biden made his first visit to the U.S.-Mexico border after two years in office, marking a significant moment in his administration's efforts to address immigration issues. The visit took place in El Paso, Texas, where Biden observed border patrol agents searching cars for drugs, cash, and other contraband.
During the visit, Biden did not make any public remarks. Instead, he walked along a steel boundary fence that separated the U.S. city from Ciudad Juarez. Hundreds of migrants were collected outside the Spiritual Heart Catholic Church in El Paso, where they were receiving three meals a day from religious groups and other humanitarian organizations. However, no migrants were visible during Biden's tour of the El Paso County Traveler Provider Center.
The administration's recent policy changes, announced this week, aim to avert tens of thousands of travelers attempting to cross the border illegally. The policy changes will allow 30,000 travelers each month from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela to come to the U.S. legally if they pass by aircraft, get a sponsor, and pass background checks. Migrants are now being asked to complete a form on a phone app so they can attend a port of entry at a pre-scheduled day and time.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that these changes are an attempt to incentivize a secure and organized way and remove the smuggling organizations. The policy changes also include turning away travelers who do not seek asylum in a country they traveled through on their way to the U.S.
The administration's immigration policies have not succeeded in reducing the overall number of migrants crossing irregularly. Border apprehensions reached a record 2.5 million in FY 2023 and have remained high into FY 2024. While initial policies temporarily decreased apprehensions of some nationalities, those numbers have surged again in 2024.
The large volume of crossings has created humanitarian and legal difficulties, especially involving unaccompanied children, with over 233,000 unaccompanied alien children reported without proper legal oversight and many missing from federal monitoring. Congressional reviews continue on handling this crisis.
Public opinion over recent years has shown fluctuating support for immigration policies, with some increase in support for border security measures such as physical barriers. Biden’s approach is seen as striving to balance enforcement with humane treatment, but the ongoing high numbers of border crossings indicate limited success in curbing irregular migration so far.
After the border visit, Biden traveled south to Mexico City, where he and the leaders of Mexico and Canada will meet for a North American leaders summit.
Sources:
- Migrants in Crisis: Biden’s Failed Border Policies
- Biden Administration Announces New Immigration Policies
- Poll: Americans Support Border Wall, Biden’s Approach Faces Backlash
- Unaccompanied Children: A Crisis at the Border
- The new immigration policies, led by President Biden, aim to improve organized migration and mitigate the influence of smuggling organizations, which are often associated with conflicts and war-and-conflicts regions.
- In an effort to address food insecurity among migrants, religious groups and humanitarian organizations are providing three meals a day to hundreds of migrants gathered at the Spiritual Heart Catholic Church, as the general-news outlets report.
- The ongoing immigration crisis has led to heated debates in policy-and-legislation circles, with Congressional reviews focusing on both the humanitarian and legal difficulties, especially involving unaccompanied alien children, and the need for effective border security measures such as a physical barrier, according to polls.
- The upcoming North American leaders summit in Mexico City will witness President Biden, along with leaders from Mexico and Canada, discuss a wide range of topics, including travel restrictions and migration policies, amidst the growing tension surrounding issues like war-and-conflicts and war-torn countries, such as Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti, and Venezuela.
