Democrats and Republicans React to Biden’s Border Executive Order

WASHINGTON—President Joe Biden’s executive order for securing the U.S. southern border has earned criticism from both sides of the aisle as politicians attack the action’s lack of compassion, seriousness, and effectiveness, among other things.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the president’s new plan “a joke.”

“Even if Biden actually enforced it fully (which he won’t) it would still allow close to a million people a year to cross illegally ON TOP OF the 10 million he has already allowed in over the last 3 years,” he wrote on social media platform X.

On his first day in office, President Biden struck down many of the policies put in place by President Donald Trump, including the “remain in Mexico” policy for asylum seekers. His administration has continued to blame the Republicans for refusing to help pass legislation that he said would bring about significant change.

However, Republicans in both chambers of the Legislature, including Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), have pointed out that the president already had the executive power to secure the border if he wanted to.

“Three and a half years into his administration, he finally realized that he had his executive authority to shut down the border crisis that he himself created by reversing many of the policies of the Trump administration,” Mr. Lawler told The Epoch Times, calling the overdue action “laughable.”

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House Republicans, the congressman said, are the only ones who have actually passed legislation, HR-2, to secure the border. But those efforts have been struck down by Senate Democrats.

President Joe Biden announced on June 4 an executive order that would shut down asylum requests at the southern border once the average number of daily encounters exceeds 2,500.

The border will remain shut until that daily average stays below 1,500 for at least a week but will remain open for exceptions such as unaccompanied minors; those who use the lawful pathways that the administration has created, such as the CBP One app; and illegal immigrants who “manifest or express a fear of return to their country” or a fear of prosecution or torture.

Senior administration officials said their actions, among other things, were only temporary, only applied to those entering unlawfully, were not based on religion, and were, overall, far more humane.

President Biden emphasized the difference, saying, “I will never demonize immigrants. I’ll never separate children from their families at the border. I will not ban people from this country because of their religious beliefs.”

However, Democrats on Capitol Hill expressed reservations ahead of President Biden signing the executive order.

“I’m concerned that this is just the enforcement-only side of the strategy, but I’m confident that we can continue to lift up programs like Temporary Protected Status, like support for those with DACA,” House Democratic Caucus Chairman Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.) told reporters on June 4.

“Like helping families who have a loved one who is undocumented within their household, spouses, for instance.”

Since the signing, several other Democrats have begun speaking out against the measure.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement Subcommittee, released a statement expressing her “profound disappointment” over the executive action.

“An enforcement-only approach has never worked,“ she said. ”It is deeply disappointing that the Biden Administration has given in to this same approach. The truth is that what happens at the border is deeply connected to the effectiveness of the legal immigration system. Encounters at the border rise when legal pathways are dysfunctional or unworkable.”

She joined Congressman Greg Casar (D-Texas) and some of their other colleagues to speak at a rally under the hashtag slogan “Asylum is a Right.”

President Biden appeared to address this wing of his own party in his address, saying: “For those who say the steps I’ve taken are too strict, I say to you: Be patient. … Doing nothing is not an option. We have to act. We must act consistent with our laws and our values.”

The executive order went into effect at midnight on June 4.

Jackson Richman contributed to this report.