In a significant shift from earlier immigration policies, the Biden administration has recently intensified its enforcement actions against undocumented migrants and asylum seekers, leading to a wave of criticism from immigrant rights advocates and legal experts.
While President Biden campaigned on a promise to create a more humane immigration system, recent decisions have drawn comparisons to Trump-era crackdowns.
Deportations Reach Decade-High Under Biden
Data from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reveals that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deported over 270,000 people in the last fiscal year, marking the highest number of removals in a decade.
These figures outpace deportations under any year of the Trump administration, signaling a toughened stance on immigration enforcement.
“The Biden administration is on track to surpass its predecessors in removing undocumented individuals,” said Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, policy director at the American Immigration Council.
This crackdown has been met with alarm by immigration advocacy groups, especially since many deportees are asylum seekers who fled violence and economic instability in their home countries.
Source: The Guardian – Deportations surge under Biden
Border Restrictions Tightened Amid Asylum Concerns
In a move that drew sharp criticism from human rights organizations, President Biden signed an executive order in June 2024 to temporarily seal the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers. The order comes into effect when daily border crossings exceed 2,500 individuals, a threshold that has been surpassed frequently in recent years.
Critics argue that this policy violates international asylum laws, including obligations under the 1951 Refugee Convention and U.S. asylum statutes.
“The U.S. has a legal and moral obligation to provide safe haven to those fleeing persecution,” said Lee Gelernt, a lead attorney with the ACLU. “This executive order undermines that obligation.”
Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans at Risk
The administration’s stance was further complicated when a federal judge temporarily blocked a move to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for over 350,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. TPS offers protection from deportation to individuals from countries facing ongoing armed conflict or environmental disasters.
The Biden administration had initially extended TPS for Venezuelans in 2021. However, a subsequent reversal appeared to be in the works, aligning with more hardline enforcement strategies. The court ruling has provided temporary relief, but the future remains uncertain.
A Shift from Campaign Promises
These policy changes mark a notable shift from Biden’s 2020 campaign, where he criticized Trump-era immigration tactics and promised to restore America’s “moral standing” on the world stage. Now, facing political pressure from both parties, the administration appears to be adopting a more enforcement-centric approach.
Analysts believe this pivot is partly motivated by upcoming elections, as immigration continues to dominate public discourse. A 2024 Pew Research survey found that 67% of Americans believe the U.S. government is doing a poor job handling the situation at the border.
Broader Impacts on Migrants
The consequences of these shifts are far-reaching. Legal aid organizations are overwhelmed, shelters at the border are nearing capacity, and thousands of migrants face uncertainty. Reports indicate that some families have been split, and many children have been detained for extended periods.
With legal routes to asylum becoming more limited, some migrants are resorting to dangerous and unauthorized crossings, putting their lives at greater risk.
What Comes Next?
The Biden administration has indicated that further changes to immigration policy may be on the horizon. While some argue that these measures are necessary to maintain border security, others warn that they come at the cost of human dignity and legal protections.
In Congress, bipartisan immigration reform remains stalled, and any long-term solution appears unlikely before the 2026 midterms.
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Himanshu Sharma writes for Weekend Spy, focusing on recruitment, government schemes, and current affairs. He is dedicated to making complex information accessible to readers.
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