Biden administration officials are contemplating a stricter asylum ban to keep illegal border crossings at bay, following its implementation in June, according to a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) official who spoke with Reuters.
The current asylum ban stipulates that it will be lifted if the number of migrants apprehended at the southern border falls below an average of 1,500 per day for one week, followed by a two-week waiting period.
However, officials are considering extending the duration for which the average must stay below this threshold to several weeks, the DHS official revealed, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions.
To date, the 1,500 daily threshold has not been met. In July, U.S. Border Patrol apprehended an average of 1,820 migrants per day. In December, the number of daily apprehensions surged to 10,800, marking one of the highest figures on record.
The New York Times first reported these deliberations. A DHS spokesperson indicated that the department is currently reviewing public comments and did not provide details on potential changes.
Illegal immigration remains a significant issue for U.S. voters as the November 5 election approaches, which will determine control of the White House and Congress. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has vowed mass deportations if reelected and has criticized Vice President Kamala Harris’ border security approach. Meanwhile, Harris has criticized Trump for opposing a bipartisan border security bill that failed earlier this year in the Senate.
President Joe Biden imposed the asylum ban on June 5, restricting many migrants from seeking asylum if they crossed the southern border illegally. The White House defended the ban, stating it was necessary after Republicans rejected the Senate bill and emphasized that migrants could use new legal pathways introduced by the Biden administration.
Government figures show that the number of migrants illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border decreased to 56,000 in July, down from 118,000 in May. The asylum ban remains in place as an “interim final rule” and is still subject to finalization by DHS and the Justice Department.
