President Biden's New Immigration Policy: Preventing Asylum Seekers at the US-Mexico Border During Periods of High Volume

Denver, Colorado United States of America
ACLU announces plans to challenge the administration over the policy.
Critics argue the order is inhumane and goes against asylum seekers' rights. Supporters contend it's necessary to address border crisis.
Exceptions include unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking, and those facing medical emergencies or imminent threats to life or safety.
Order applies when daily crossings exceed an average of 2,500 per day over a seven-day period.
President Biden announces executive order preventing asylum seekers at US-Mexico border during periods of high volume.
President Biden's New Immigration Policy: Preventing Asylum Seekers at the US-Mexico Border During Periods of High Volume

In a significant shift in immigration policy, President Joe Biden has announced an executive order that will prevent migrants from seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border when daily crossings exceed an average of 2,500 per day over a seven-day period. The order comes as the administration grapples with record numbers of illegal border crossings and mounting pressure from voters on both sides of the political aisle.

Under the new policy, migrants who attempt to enter the country illegally during periods of high volume will be turned away and subjected to expedited removal proceedings. The order includes exceptions for certain groups, such as unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking, and those facing a medical emergency or an imminent threat to life or safety.

The move marks a departure from Biden's earlier stance on immigration and echoes policies implemented by his predecessor, Donald Trump. Critics argue that the order is inhumane and goes against the principles of asylum seekers' rights, while supporters contend that it is necessary to address the current crisis at the border.

The executive order was met with immediate backlash from immigration advocacy groups and civil liberties organizations, who have vowed to challenge it in court. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has already announced plans to file a lawsuit against the administration over the policy.

Despite the controversy, Biden's order is likely to be popular with some voters, particularly those in border states who have been calling for stronger border security measures. However, it remains to be seen whether this move will address the root causes of illegal immigration or simply serve as a short-term solution to a complex problem.

The following sources were used in the creation of this article:

  1. Axios:


Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • Are there any unintended consequences to this policy that could harm asylum seekers?
  • Is the daily crossing average an accurate representation of the border crisis?

Sources

76%

  • Unique Points
    • President Joe Biden is preparing to sign an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry.
    • The impact of the 2,500 figure means that the executive order could go into immediate effect because daily figures are higher than that now.
    • President Biden has taken executive action to turn away migrants seeking asylum who cross the southern border illegally during high volume encounters.
    • The measure would be lifted once the seven-day average of daily encounters drops below 1,500, a threshold that could prove difficult to meet.
  • Accuracy
    • President Biden is preparing to sign an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry.
    • The president has been deliberating for months over how to act on his own after bipartisan legislation to clamp down on asylum at the border collapsed.
    • Biden administration officials waited until after Mexico’s presidential elections to move on the U.S. president’s border actions.
  • Deception (30%)
    The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position. The author does not disclose sources and focuses on the number of daily encounters at the border without providing context or acknowledging that this number includes both asylum seekers and illegal immigrants. The article also implies that Biden is taking aggressive unilateral actions to control the numbers at the border, but it does not mention that these actions are a response to bipartisan legislation collapsing and Republican defections.
    • The Democratic president is expected to unveil the actions – his most aggressive unilateral move yet to control the numbers at the border – at the White House on Tuesday at an event to which border mayors have been invited.
    • The White House is telling lawmakers that President Joe Biden is preparing to sign off on an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry
  • Fallacies (80%)
    The article contains several informal fallacies and an appeal to authority. The author reports that 'Five people familiar with the discussions confirmed the 2,500 figure,' and 'Two of the people confirmed the 1,500 number.' This is an example of an appeal to authority fallacy as these unnamed sources are being used as evidence for a claim without any justification or verification. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article such as 'most aggressive unilateral move yet to control the numbers at the border,' 'pending order,' and 'the most high-profile challenges to Trump’s border policies.' These phrases are used to elicit an emotional response from readers rather than providing factual information. However, no formal fallacies were found.
    • Five people familiar with the discussions confirmed the 2,500 figure.
    • Two of the people confirmed the 1,500 number.
  • Bias (80%)
    The article reports on an upcoming executive order by President Biden that will shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry. The article also mentions that this figure means the executive order could go into immediate effect because daily figures are currently higher than that. This implies a negative stance towards immigrants and asylum seekers, suggesting they are a problem that needs to be controlled by limiting their access to asylum. It also implies a belief that these individuals pose a threat to national security or interests.
    • The impact of the 2,500 figure means that the executive order could go into immediate effect because daily figures are higher than that now.
      • The White House is telling lawmakers that President Joe Biden is preparing to sign off on an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry, with the border reopening only once that number declines to 1,500.
      • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication
      • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
        None Found At Time Of Publication

      79%

      • Unique Points
        • President Biden has taken executive action to turn away migrants seeking asylum who cross the southern border illegally during high volume encounters.
        • The policy prevents border officials from admitting new asylum seekers while it is active and stops implementing credible fear interviews for asylum claims.
        • Migrants who are expelled under the order will receive a minimum five-year bar on reentry to the United States and potentially be criminally prosecuted.
        • The measure would be lifted once the seven-day average of daily encounters drops below 1,500, a threshold that could prove difficult to meet.
      • Accuracy
        • The order will be in effect when the seven-day average of daily border crossings exceeds 2,500 between ports of entry, and will go into effect immediately.
        • The Biden administration will enhance its capabilities to return nationals of other countries, including extracontinental migrants from places such as China.
      • Deception (30%)
        The article contains selective reporting and emotional manipulation. The authors focus on the Biden administration's executive order to turn away migrants seeking asylum who cross the southern border illegally at high volumes, while omitting any mention of the reasons for this action or alternative solutions proposed by the administration. They also use emotionally charged language such as 'forceful but targeted shift on asylum rights,' 'attacked almost every facet of the immigration system,' and 'shameful and inhumane way.'
        • The core of the new policy is the ability to refuse entry to most foreign nationals who cross the border without prior authorization.
        • The order will be in effect when the seven-day average of daily border crossings exceeds 2,500 between ports of entry, senior administration officials said, meaning it will go into effect immediately.
        • But the order, which comes during an election year when immigration is set to play a key role, is almost certain to face legal challenges...
        • For instance, they will not apply to unaccompanied minors, and officials will still be able to conduct credible interviews with migrants who manifest a fear of returning to their country because of persecution or potential torture situations.
      • Fallacies (85%)
        The authors use an appeal to authority when they quote senior administration officials stating that the order is a response to congressional inaction and that it is not comparable to Trump-era policies. They also use inflammatory rhetoric when they describe Trump-era policies as 'shameful and inhumane'. No formal fallacies were found.
        • The order will go into effect immediately because the seven-day average of daily encounters at the border is more than 2,500.
        • Senior administration officials framed the order as a response to congressional inaction on immigration after a bipartisan framework in the Senate was blocked by Republicans for a second time.
        • The Trump administration attacked almost every facet of the immigration system and did so in a shameful and inhumane way.
      • Bias (90%)
        The authors frame the Biden administration's actions as a 'forceful but targeted shift on asylum rights' and contrast it with the Trump administration's policies, implying that the Biden administration is taking a more humane approach. However, they also mention that the order will face legal challenges and criticism from some on the left. This language suggests a political bias towards one side of the issue.
        • But the order, which comes during an election year when immigration is set to play a key role, is almost certain to face legal challenges, as well as criticism from some on the left who have argued it echoes Trump’s moves against the asylum system.
          • Senior administration officials framed the order as a response to congressional inaction on immigration after a bipartisan framework in the Senate was blocked by Republicans for a second time.
            • The order comes during an election year when immigration is set to play a key role
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            96%

            • Unique Points
              • Colorado Democratic Governor Jared Polis is praising President Biden’s new crackdown on illegal border crossings.
              • More than 42,000 people have arrived in Denver, Colorado since December 2022, making it the city with the most arrivals per capita in the US.
              • Biden’s executive order allows for rapid turnback of migrants without asylum when illegal border crossings reach an average of 2,500 a day.
              • Denver officials estimate that metro-area cities, education and health care organizations have spent between $216 million and $340 million responding to the emergency.
            • Accuracy
              • The number of illegal crossings has averaged 3,700 a day over the last three weeks.
              • President Biden is preparing to sign an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border once the average number of daily encounters hits 2,500 between ports of entry.
              • The impact of the 2,500 figure means that the executive order could go into immediate effect because daily figures are higher than that now.
            • Deception (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Fallacies (95%)
              The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when it states 'A new report from the conservative-leaning Common Sense Institute estimates that metro-area cities, education and health care organizations have spent between $216 million and $340 million responding to the emergency.' This statement implies that the estimate is factual without providing any evidence or reasoning from the authors as to why this is true. However, no other fallacies were found.
              • A new report from the conservative-leaning Common Sense Institute estimates that metro-area cities, education and health care organizations have spent between $216 million and $340 million responding to the emergency.
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            82%

            • Unique Points
              • President Biden is issuing a presidential proclamation that will temporarily suspend the entry of non-citizens across the southern border once the number of average border encounters exceeds 2,500 a day over seven days.
              • The order from President Biden includes a number of exceptions for those coming across the border, such as visa holders, unaccompanied children, victims of a severe form of trafficking, those facing an acute medical emergency or an imminent threat to life or safety.
              • In doing so, Biden is drawing upon authorities under 212(f) and 215(a)of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).
              • The administration says it is dealing with a hemisphere-wide challenge that needs congressional action to provide funding and fix what it says is a broken immigration system.
            • Accuracy
              • The White House announced executive actions to stop illegal immigrants at the southern border claiming asylum if crossings reach a certain level.
              • The move comes just months before the November election and could soon see a legal challenge from activists.
            • Deception (30%)
              The article contains selective reporting as it only reports the number of border encounters that exceed a certain level and ignores the context of why those numbers have increased. It also uses emotional manipulation by implying that the situation at the border is 'untenable' and that President Biden is facing 'intense political pressure'. The article also makes statements about Biden's handling of border security without providing any evidence or facts to support those statements.
              • Mayors of cities like New York City, Denver and Chicago have demanded more funding from the federal government and have called for additional action.
              • The White House has said that this action comes now after Republicans have rejected other attempts at congressional actions, including a bipartisan Senate bill that would have implemented a similar limiting mechanism as well as providing additional funding.
              • It has become clear that the current situation remains untenable, but with Republicans playing politics on border security, it is time for your administration to act.
            • Fallacies (90%)
              The article contains an appeal to authority when it states that 'President Biden is issuing a presidential proclamation that will temporarily suspend the entry of non-citizens across the southern border once the number of average border encounters exceeds 2,500 a day over seven days.' This is an appeal to authority because it assumes that the president has the power to make such a decision based on his position alone, without providing any evidence or reasoning for why this is a necessary or effective solution. Additionally, there are several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used throughout the article, such as 'historic migrant numbers,' 'hemisphere-wide challenge,' and 'broken immigration system.' These phrases are intended to elicit an emotional response from readers rather than providing objective information.
              • President Biden is issuing a presidential proclamation that will temporarily suspend the entry of non-citizens across the southern border once the number of average border encounters exceeds 2,500 a day over seven days.
              • It has become clear that the current situation remains untenable, but with Republicans playing politics on border security, it is time for your administration to act.
            • Bias (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication

            96%

            • Unique Points
              • President Biden issued an executive order on Tuesday that prevents migrants from seeking asylum at the US-Mexico border when crossings surge.
              • The restrictions kick in once the 7-day average for illegal entries hits 2,500 per day.
              • Daily totals already exceed that number, which means that Biden’s executive order could go into effect right away.
            • Accuracy
              No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
            • Deception (100%)
              None Found At Time Of Publication
            • Fallacies (95%)
              The article contains an appeal to authority fallacy when the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is quoted stating that the administration's action is 'unlawful'. This statement does not necessarily make it a fact and should be evaluated based on legal arguments and evidence.
              • “It was unlawful under Trump and is no less illegal now.” - Lee Gelernt, ACLU
            • Bias (95%)
              The authors express their opinion that the executive order is a 'drastic turnaround' for President Biden and a 'stark contrast' to his previous stance on immigration. They also quote Lee Gelernt, an ACLU lawyer, stating that the administration's actions are 'unlawful'. These statements demonstrate political bias.
              • It was unlawful under Trump and is no less illegal now.
                • The move shows how drastically immigration politics have shifted in the United States.
                • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication
                • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
                  None Found At Time Of Publication