The Biden administration is set to published an updated rule allowing it to reject asylum seekers more quickly, Axios reported on Wednesday. The measure could go into effect as soon as Thursday.
The rule, the outlet said, would allow immigration officials to bar migrants from asylum within days, even hours, compared to the years it can take at the moment. The rule could target people considered national security risks.
Such measures have been in the works for months now but so far their implementation had not been announced. Some analysts had considered the possibility that Biden could make such announcements at this month's State of the Union address, although that did not end up happening.
Other rules under consideration are a sweeping presidential authority that allows him to "suspend the entry" of foreigners when it is determined that their arrival is not in the best interest of the country; and the ability to turn asylum seekers away if they cross illegally. Making it harder for asylum-seekers to pass the first interview to determine whether they can stay in the country is also under review.
The administration is seeking to change public perception regarding its approach to immigration as numerous polls have shown more support for Donald Trump's approach. The latest example comes from a study conducted by Decision Desk HQ and News Nation, which showed that 46% of respondents chose the Republican compared to 26% who backed the Democrat. Another 13% said they weren't sure about their answer.
Immigration also remains as the main concern among Americans, topping the list of a monthly Gallup survey for the third time in a row, the pollster said last week.
Asked an open-ended question about what they thought was the most important problem facing the U.S. at the moment, over a quarter of respondents (27%) said immigration.
Asides from domestic measures, the government has sought for enforcement by its Mexican counterpart, something that has seemingly had an effect. At the request of the U.S., the country is using military patrols and highway checkpoints, intercepting roughly 8,000 U.S.-bound migrants per day, according to officials from both countries.
These actions already being reflected in the numbers, as southern border crossings have decreased 40% since December and have remained relatively stable through the first four months of 2024, according to figures obtained by The Washington Post.
In April, U.S. border agents encountered about 130,000 migrants entering illegally from Mexico, a level that is high by historical standards but lower than February and March, according to U.S. enforcement data obtained by The Post.
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