Staff Reports
In what can only be described as a last-minute scramble, the Biden administration has rolled out new asylum restrictions just thirty-six days before the election. It seems there’s a frenzied effort to project some semblance of border control as the clock ticks down, and with all the controversy swirling around this administration’s handling of immigration, it’s hard to ignore the timing. The latest changes are meant to reinforce limitations on asylum claims when the U.S.-Mexico border is inundated with migrants, something they’ve identified as a problem since, well, forever.
NEW: Today, the Biden-Harris Administration took additional steps to implement the action announced in June to strengthen border security. @POTUS has issued an updated Proclamation to amend the June Proclamation that temporarily suspended and limited the entry of noncitizens… pic.twitter.com/slM0iICxmt
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) September 30, 2024
Under the new guidelines, an average of fewer than 1,500 daily crossings for almost an entire month is now required before asylum seekers can even hope for a chance at refuge. This isn’t just a minor adjustment either; it’s as if the administration crowbarred every child into the statistics, expanding the previous system that counted only Mexican kids. It’s a classic case of moving the goalposts—one can’t help but wonder if the long-term goal is to make it impossible for anyone to claim asylum unless they have an appointment on their calendar.
For years now, illegal immigrants have been able to game the system by claiming asylum as an excuse to stick around. The previous rules allowed for a desperate free-for-all that contributed to chaos at the border, where claims were seemingly processed faster than a fast-food order. The new restrictions may signal a recognition that the open-border policy was more of a doormat than a door.
Interestingly, while the U.S. is tightening its grip at the southern border, other countries have been taking theirs more seriously, cracking down on the “asylum seekers” who seem to pop up in every border saga. It turns out that folks don’t always get to choose the rules, especially when they hop from one country to another like they’re choosing their favorite taco truck. As the Biden administration stumbles into this enforcement, it feels like a day late and a dollar short for America’s safety.
Ultimately, this sudden change feels less like a heartfelt commitment to border security and more like a political ploy designed to placate anxious voters right before they head to the polls. With every tightening of the belt, one can’t help but wonder if this isn’t just a feeble attempt to make up for months of inaction, a final desperate act to convince the American people that competence might finally be on the table. As the election draws nearer, showing even a hint of control at the border might just play well to those concerned about who exactly is being let through that door.
