By Tashi McQueen
AFRO Political Writer
tmcqueen@afro.com
Photo credit: AP Photo/Susan Walsh
Under pressure to address the large flow of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border, President Joe Biden signed an executive action on June 4, temporarily restricting illegal immigrants.
“Migrants will be restricted from seeking asylum at our southern border unless they seek it after entering through an established lawful process,” said Biden in a speech on June 4. “This ban will remain in place until the number of people trying to enter illegally is reduced to a number that we can manage.”
The order will go into effect on June 5.
Some Democrats are not on board with this initiative.
In a statement, U.S. Rep. Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.-09), co-chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Foreign Affairs and Immigration Task Force, spoke about her concern for Black immigrants and how they will be impacted.
“President Biden’s executive action to close daily border crossings arbitrarily at 2,500 will prevent countless Black immigrants from the Caribbean, the African continent and Latin America from exercising their legal right to apply for asylum at our ports of entry,” said Clarke. “We should move toward a more nuanced approach that considers the real humanitarian issues that migrants are facing each day.”
“We urge the Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize efforts to address the root causes of migration and expand pathways for legal migration for people who are fleeing violence and persecution and who are seeking a better life,” Clarke continued.
In his speech, Biden pointed towards congressional Republicans who thwarted his efforts to pass a bipartisan border bill in February for resorting to this method of reform.
“I’ve come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do–take the necessary steps to secure our border,” said Biden. “Four months ago, after weeks of intense negotiations between my staff and Democrats and Republicans, we came to a clear bipartisan deal.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA-04), Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN-06) and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY-21) released a joint statement on Biden’s executive action, calling it a “political stunt.”
“President Biden’s Executive Order is nothing more than a desperate political stunt,” Johnson, Emmer and Stefanik. “Over a year ago, House Republicans passed the Secure the Border Act, which would actually fix the problem, but Joe Biden and Senate Democrats continue to drag their feet on taking meaningful action, sacrificing the safety and security of our communities.”
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