White House announces temporary closure of US border to asylum seekers
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Officials say the restrictions must go into effect immediately because they will take effect when the number of illegal immigrants exceeds 2,500 a day.
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President Joe Biden talks with the U.S. Border Patrol and local officials, as he looks over the southern border, Feb. 29, 2024, in Brownsville, Texas, along the Rio Grande (AP)
The White House on Tuesday said that President Joe Biden will temporarily shut the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers whenever the number of illegal migrant crossings surges.
"To Joe Biden, the safety of American families should always come first. That's why today, the president is announcing new historic executive actions to bar migrants who cross our southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum," White House spokesman Andrew Bates said.
Officials say the restrictions must go into effect immediately because they will take effect when the number of illegal immigrants exceeds 2,500 a day, and the numbers are already above that threshold.
Read more: US may start sending Latin American migrants to Europe
As the country's elections are nearing, Biden has been ramping up efforts in a bid to garner more votes.
The ongoing border security dispute between Republicans and Democrats has particularly been a matter of serious contention.
Tensions erupted after the Supreme Court's decision to permit federal border patrol agents to dismantle physical barriers erected by Texas.
In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott expressed readiness for a potential conflict with federal authorities.
In January, Donald Trump compared Biden's policy on immigration to a "weapon of mass destruction."
In February, a poll published by the Chatham House revealed that 23% of Americans supported state secessionism.
Read more: 8 million migrants to be stuck in US 'legal limbo' by October: Axios
