In the US, Democrats and Republicans are at odds over two laws that regulate immigration from Mexico. The Biden government wants to abolish them. The result: Hundreds of thousands are waiting at the border to enter the country.
Two inheritances from Donald Trump’s reign threaten to become more and more of a disaster for US President Joe Biden and the Democrats. The so-called “Title 42” and the “Remain in Mexico” program.
Put simply, “Title 42” means that anyone who wants to immigrate to the USA can be rejected directly at the border with reference to the health protection of the US population – in the current case: Corona.
The “Remain in Mexico” rule stipulates that asylum seekers wishing to immigrate via the southern border must remain in Mexico until their application has been processed.
“Title 42” ends on May 23
For progressive and left-wing Democrats, these are two regulations from Trump’s times that should be abolished immediately. For the ex-president himself, the safest border protection measure that the United States had ever seen: “When I left office, we gave the new administration the safest border in the history of our country,” said Trump.
The result: Hundreds of thousands of people from different countries are waiting at the US-Mexico border to enter the USA. And there are more every day, because “Title 42” is only valid until May 23rd.
At the same time, Biden’s government is looking for a way to end the “Remain in Mexico” program. That gives hope to many who want to go to the USA. In southern states like Arizona, Louisiana or Texas, that doesn’t go down well at all.
“Not the slightest idea who these people are”
“Millions of people will storm the border, most will just be let into the United States, and the government has absolutely no idea who these people are,” said Republican, Texas Senator John Neely Kennedy, describing the possible consequences.
He and many other Republicans are therefore calling for nothing to be changed. Kennedy does not only find approval in his own ranks – there is at least some skepticism among Democrats as to whether the Biden government is well prepared for the situation on the border.
“Title 42 should not be abolished until there is a proper immigration policy in the USA or the health authorities say that the corona pandemic is no longer an issue,” says Joe Manchin, Democratic Senator from West Virginia and the US Senate regularly the one who bringing Biden’s government plans to a halt.
No compromise in sight
The US Congress, as legislator, is miles away from an immigration policy that is satisfactory for both sides, and there are strong doubts that the US health authority, which will declare the corona pandemic over in the next few weeks. So what Manchin says in other words: Everything should stay as it is for now. Eight other Democratic senators take a similar view.
A recent ruling by a federal judge in the United States has further aggravated the situation for Biden. He forbade Biden’s government to suspend Title 42 regulations at the border before the end of May. According to Ken Paxton, Texas Attorney General, reports have shown that the “Title 42” regulations have in some cases no longer been followed.
Pressure on Biden mounts
The pressure on Biden is increasing day by day, as the situation at the border worsens every day and because Republicans accuse him of wanting to open the US border and let millions of criminals into the country.
Parts of his own party accuse him of at least inadequate action. In addition, the election campaign surrounding the midterm elections makes political cooperation on the matter essentially impossible for Congress.
