Two people familiar with the matter have said that the Biden administration is getting ready to announce a massive executive order on the border as soon as Tuesday, though they have stressed that the exact timing is still up in the air.
The president’s announcement could be accompanied by the mayors of cities along the US southern border, according to two other sources familiar with the discussions, who have been contacted by White House officials.
As part of a plot to try to gain an advantage over one of his Republican opponent’s crucial campaign issues, administration officials have been working on an executive order that would severely restrict migrants’ ability to request asylum at the US southern border for weeks. The goal is to head off any attacks on border security by Republicans and to get a jump on former president Trump in the lead-up to the first presidential debate on June 27 on AWN.
The mayor of Edinburg, Ramiro Garza, acknowledged to AWN that he was approached on Saturday by the administration to attend an event at the White House on Tuesday.
Many anticipate that the order would mirror a contentious policy from Trump’s administration. The plan is to try to limit illegal border crossings by using an authority called 212f between entry points.
According to earlier reports from AWN, officials were planning to announce the executive order following Sunday’s Mexican election and prior to the first presidential debate. On Wednesday, Biden is expected to board a plane bound for France.
The White House issued a statement stating that President Biden would continue to fight for the resources needed by border and immigration personnel to secure our border, even when Republicans in Congress have chosen to oppose increased border enforcement. “As previously stated, the Administration is still considering various policy options and is determined to fix our flawed immigration system.”
The escalating tensions between Biden and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott have been echoed by other mayors of Texas who have previously voiced their unhappiness with the extreme partisanship around immigration. Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez, Brownsville Mayor John Cowen, San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg, and Biden met with Garza on his February tour to the US southern border.
No further executive actions have been decided upon, according to a White House official who spoke with AWN.
As a result of Mexico’s increased enforcement operations in January, the number of border arrests has decreased this year. The White House is hoping to capitalize on this temporary relief from one of the most contentious problems that Biden will confront during his reelection campaign.
There are a number of Democrats on Capitol Hill who have pushed for the president to consider making another border visit in the next few weeks, according to White House officials. No border travel for Biden is being considered at the time, according to a White House spokesperson who previously talked with AWN.
A number of policy shifts have been introduced by the administration in recent weeks in an effort to deter migrants from making the dangerous trek to the United States and to assuage the doubts of voters who are suspicious of their efforts to enforce border restrictions on immigration.
In an effort to reduce the number of people crossing the border, Biden administration officials have proposed new rules and guidelines that would make it easier to reject asylum seekers and expedite court proceedings for certain migrants.