House democrats are protesting President Biden’s proposed executive action, which would impose a cap on asylum seekers at the southern border, saying it betrays America’s long history as a place for oppressed people on the world.
” I’m disappointed that this is a direction that the president has decided to take”, Rep. Nanette Barragán ( D- Calif. ), chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, told reporters in the Capitol Tuesday morning.  ,
Republicans quickly fall for the Democratic party for slamming a bipartisan immigration reform deal earlier this year at the former president’s persuasion, contending that GOP officials denied Biden the resources to address the border problems in a more peaceful, compassionate, and orderly manner.  ,
But they’re also voicing strong doubts with Biden’s coming administrative order, which is expected to put a new cover on regular bridges for asylum seeking, set at 2, 500, and near the border to further candidates later.
Rep. Mark Takano ( D- Calif. ) invoked the tragic case of the St. Louis, a German ship carrying hundreds of Jewish refugees out of Nazi Germany in 1939 only to be denied entry into the United States. The fleet was forced to return to Europe, where more than 200 were killed in the Holocaust.  ,
Democrats have n’t made any good faith efforts to actually resolve the problems and provide the president with the tools he requires. I think we need more resources towards immigration officers ]and ] judges”, Takano said. However, a motion apart from our nation that serves as a refuge for people who have a real fear of persecution, is very troubling to me.
Without the consent of the Congress, Takano, a part of the Parliamentary Asian Pacific American Caucus, questioned whether Biden has the authority to impose a cap on normal asylum applicants.  ,
” He’s asserting authorities that I do n’t think he has”, Takano said. ” And we’ll see how this moves its way through the judges”.
The criticism highlights the difficulties that Biden and other Democratic officials face in managing the countless asylum applicants who arrive at the southwestern border each day. Trump and other Republicans have publicly criticized the administration for not addressing the crisis, and surveys show that border security issues are high on the electors ‘ radar, which makes them a significant responsibility as the president prepares to run for office again.  ,
Barragán claimed that she and another Hispanic Caucus members had recently gathered to discuss potential executive actions Biden might take on border and immigration policy, including new rights for illegal immigrants who have been in the country for a while. She said she’s holding out hope that Biden’s official opening of his new prison plan, scheduled for Tuesday evening, will have some of those other activities.  ,
” We think it needs to be paired with positive actions and protections for undocumenteds, folks that have been here for a long time”, she said.  ,
Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill are faced with a conundrum as a result of the criticisms, who are caught between supporting their allies on the White House and taking into account the concerns of their own caucus.  ,
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N. ). Y. ) straddling that divide ahead of Biden’s rollout appeared to be happening on Tuesday morning.  ,
Given the fact that extreme MAGA Republicans have chosen to try to weaponize the issue of the challenges at the border as opposed to solving the issue legislatively, it is crucial that President Biden is planning to take decisive action, Jeffries said.
Jeffries refrained from commenting on the wisdom of imposing a cap on asylum seekers.  ,
” I will reserve any further comment until after I hear the president publicly explain the causes of his actions to the American people,” he said.  ,
Rep. Gregory Meeks ( N. Y. The senior Democrat on the Foreign Affairs Committee, who is opposed to a system that allows anyone who is being imprisoned at home to seek asylum in the country, warned that closing the border is a risky move, not least because it could harm local border economies. He also criticized Republicans for opposing legislation to reform the country’s crumbling immigration system, which GOP leaders killed earlier in the year after Trump launched a counterargument.
” They do n’t want the issue to be resolved and solved. They want this to just be a political issue”, Meeks said.
” The responsibility lies on us in Congress”, he added. ” The president feels right now that he has no other alternative”.
