The change was evident Tuesday in South Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, one of the border’s busiest migrant corridors for the past decade. In an area where migrant families have been crossing the border in large numbers to surrender to U.S. authorities seeking protection, Border Patrol agents were pursuing several adult men trying to evade arrest. There was near-silence on the agents’ radios.
Border agents often see a temporary drop in crossings whenever the government announces a major crackdown: Illegal crossings surged to record levels late last year but have been declining in recent months, in part due to more aggressive enforcement by the Mexican government.
But Biden administration officials hope the drop in approval ratings will blunt Republican criticism of the president’s record on the border as he prepares to face off in Thursday’s debate with Republican nominee Donald Trump. Polls have consistently shown high levels of disapproval of Biden’s handling of border security and immigration issues.
Homeland Security officials have cautioned that results from the crackdown are preliminary and have portrayed the measures as an attempt to balance tougher enforcement with more lenient opportunities for immigrants to enter the United States legally.
A statement from the Department of Homeland Security said Biden has “delivered the largest expansion of lawful pathways and orderly process in decades,” and that his measures “open up the asylum system for those with legitimate claims.”
The American Civil Liberties Union and immigration advocacy groups have filed lawsuits to block Biden’s asylum restrictions.
Under US immigration law, anyone who enters the US can seek humanitarian protection if they have a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm in their home country. The emergency measures announced by President Biden on June 4 would suspend access to such protections in an emergency, arguing that the US immigration system is overwhelmed by illegal border crossings and inadequate resources.
Biden’s measure calls for lifting the asylum limits if the number of illegal crossings is below 1,500 a day on average. If the number exceeds 2,500 a day, the limits would be reimposed.
The Department of Homeland Security said the decline in illegal border crossings has allowed U.S. authorities to strengthen border security and increase patrols, “strengthening the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to intercept individuals who pose a threat to public safety.”
The DHS statement echoes the administration’s calls from lawmakers for increased funding for the U.S. immigration system, including a significant expansion of detention and deportation activities.
The Department of Homeland Security said Biden’s policies have reduced by 65% the number of migrants allowed into the U.S. after crossing the border illegally to await their court date — a practice derided as “catch and release.” Deportations and returns to Mexico have doubled in the past three weeks, the department said.
