President Joe Biden’s executive action restricting asylum claims at the southern border — a dramatic move to address one of voters’ top concerns five months before the election — drew a range of reactions: applause from many Democrats but also disappointment from some progressives and scorn from Republicans who cast the action as a too-little, too-late attempt to score a political victory on an issue that has hampered Democrats.
Supportive Democrats praised Biden for acting to implement similar policies to the ones congressional Republicans blocked from moving through Congress earlier this year.
“As the president makes his announcement, let’s be very clear about one thing: legislation would have been the more effective way to go,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the Senate floor Tuesday.
“President Biden has been clear from the beginning he prefers legislation, but given how obstinate Republicans have become — turning down any real opportunity for strong border legislation — the president is left with little choice but to act on his own.”
Congressional Republicans came out in unison against Biden’s executive action, which will limit asylum applications at times of high traffic across the southern border.
“This is like turning a garden hose on a five-alarm fire, and the American people are not fools. They know that this play is too little too late,” Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell said.
McConnell emphasized the surge in migration and the alarming rate of fentanyl-related deaths that have occurred under the Biden administration, and said Biden’s decision to act now is an effort to save face before the election.
President Joe Biden speaks about an executive order in the East Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2024.
Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP
Biden is also facing opposition from within his own party, especially progressives who likened the president’s executive actions to policies of former President Donald Trump, which Democrats excoriated at the time.
“By reviving Trump’s asylum ban, President Biden has undermined American values and abandoned our nation’s obligations to provide people fleeing persecution, violence, and authoritarianism with an opportunity to seek refuge in the U.S.,” said Sen. Alex Padilla, a Democrat, in a statement.
Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal, meanwhile, called the measures “extremely disappointing” in a post on X.
Democratic Rep. Nanette Barragán, chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus called the move by Biden a “mistake.”
Trending Reader Picks
“I am disappointed that this is a direction the president has decided to take. We think it needs to be paired with positive actions and protections for undocumented folks that have been here for a long time,” she said.
The American Civil Liberties Union vowed legal action, arguing in a statement that the executive actions “would put thousands of lives at risk.”
“We intend to challenge this order in court. It was illegal when Trump did it, and it is no less illegal now,” Lee Gelernt, deputy director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project, said in the statement.
Polls indicate Biden has struggled to earn the trust of voters when it comes to border policies. Only 30% of respondents in an ABC News/Ipsos poll last month said they trusted Biden to handle immigration at the southern border, compared to 47% who said the same of Trump.
US Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas (L) listens to President Joe Biden speak in the East Room of the White House, in Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2024 to announce he will temporarily shut the US-Mexico border to asylum seekers whenever illegal migrant crossings surge.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images
There were signs Tuesday that Biden’s executive action could sway a key crop of voters: those who backed former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley in the Republican primary who have been hesitant to support Trump this fall.
In a statement, the Haley Voters Working Group said Tuesday’s news was “welcome.”
“Leadership means doing the right thing, even if its late … it’s the right thing,” Amanda Stewart Sprowls, a Haley voter from Arizona, said.
Tom Evslin, a Haley voter from Vermont, said that “as president, Biden gets judged by his actions and not his words.”
“Although it would’ve been better to have congressional action on the border, Biden deserves respect for listening to voters in the political middle,” Evslin said.
ABC News’ Hannah Demissie, Rachel Scott, Lauren Peller and John Parkinson contributed to this report.
President Joe Biden’s recent actions on immigration and border security have sparked mixed reactions among Democrats, with some praising his efforts to reverse the harsh policies of the previous administration, while others express concerns about the handling of the situation at the southern border.
One of the key actions taken by President Biden was the signing of executive orders to halt construction of the border wall and end the “Remain in Mexico” policy, which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their cases were processed. These moves were widely applauded by Democrats and immigration advocates, who saw them as a step towards a more humane and compassionate approach to immigration.
However, some Democrats have raised concerns about the surge of migrants at the border and the overcrowded conditions in detention facilities. Critics argue that the Biden administration was not adequately prepared for the influx of migrants and that more needs to be done to address the root causes of migration from Central America.
In response to these criticisms, the Biden administration has pledged to increase capacity at processing facilities, expedite the processing of asylum claims, and work with Central American countries to address the underlying factors driving migration. The administration has also emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach to immigration reform, including a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants already living in the United States.
Despite these efforts, some Democrats remain skeptical about the administration’s ability to effectively manage the situation at the border. They worry that the surge of migrants could overwhelm the system and lead to a humanitarian crisis. Others are concerned that the administration’s focus on reversing Trump-era policies could lead to a return to the “catch and release” approach that they believe incentivizes illegal immigration.
Overall, the mixed reactions among Democrats reflect the complexity of the immigration issue and the challenges facing the Biden administration as it seeks to strike a balance between compassion and enforcement. As the situation at the border continues to evolve, it is likely that these debates will continue within the Democratic Party and beyond.
