President Joe Biden is poised to sign an executive order addressing illegal immigration at the southern border, a move that has witnessed nearly eight million apprehensions since his tenure began.
According to Daily Mail, President Biden has overseen close to eight million apprehensions at the southern border. This week, he prepares to enforce an executive action concerning illegal immigration, marking an effort to address one of the nation's most contentious issues. With five months until the 2024 election, Republicans argue the executive order is merely a political ploy.
The forthcoming executive order is anticipated to introduce the most stringent border policies of Biden's presidency, drawing comparisons to the measures of former President Donald Trump. According to insiders, the directive aims to block migrant entry at specific thresholds – such as when encounters surpass 4,000 per day over a week.
Prominent Republicans have expressed skepticism about Biden's timing and intentions. House Speaker Mike Johnson has been particularly vocal, expressing that the action is "too little, too late" and arguing that the administration's earlier policies had "intentionally" opened the border. Johnson has asserted that the president and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas enacted numerous actions since January 2021, which he believes contributed to the border crisis.
Johnson states, "We documented 64 specific actions that President Biden and Secretary Mayorkas took over the course of three and a half years, beginning on the first day that President Biden took office, to open the border." He claims that these decisions have had long-lasting negative effects on the country.
Representative Jim Banks echoed Johnson's sentiments, labeling Biden's move as a mere "political stunt" designed to boost his standing in the polls. Additionally, he argued that the new policy might lead to even more illegal crossings in the coming year.
The legal authority for this executive order is derived from Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. This section grants presidents the capability to prohibit the entry of specific immigrants if such action is considered 'detrimental' to U.S. interests.
The Biden administration's decision to proceed with this executive action comes in the wake of a failed bipartisan Senate deal aimed at addressing border issues. Earlier attempts by the White House to secure Congressional approval for expanded presidential authority over the border were unsuccessful.
Republicans continue to challenge the president's new measures. Sen. Tom Cotton dismissed the move as an "election-year stunt" that failed to divert attention from what he described as Biden's "disastrous" immigration policies.
Illegal immigration remains a divisive theme in American politics. Estimates indicate that over 20 million undocumented immigrants reside within the United States, while the figure regarding "gotaways" – individuals who elude border apprehension – remains uncertain.
In announcing the forthcoming executive order, the Biden administration is making a decisive push to handle the southern border's challenges more effectively. As the 2024 presidential election approaches, this issue continues to hold significant sway over voter sentiment and political strategies.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and Representative Jim Banks continue to question Biden's motives, positing that electoral concerns primarily drive the new order. Johnson, in his critique, suggests the administration's actions were intentionally harmful and timed in reaction to unfavorable polling data.
In summary, President Biden plans to sign an executive order addressing illegal immigration following eight million border apprehensions since taking office. The move, facing bipartisan scrutiny, aims to set new restrictions reminiscent of prior administrations. Whether this will alleviate the intense debate or amplify political tensions remains to be seen.
