Staff Reports
President Joe Biden's new border security executive order has provoked strong reactions from conservatives and progressive immigration activists alike, though some believe it might appeal to moderate voters in the 2024 general election. As immigration and border security have grown more significant to voters, Biden's order represents a noticeable shift to the right from his previous stance on these issues.
Democratic strategists suggest this executive action could help Biden gain moderate voter support while putting pressure on congressional Republicans for obstructing the Senate's bipartisan immigration reform package. They argue that Republicans are more focused on political maneuvering than solving long-standing immigration challenges.
Don't Be Fooled, Biden's New Executive Order Does Not 'Secure the Border' – Here's What It Really Does
Thank goodness, after fumbling border security for almost his entire administration, President Joe Biden is finally ready to take control and protect Americans.
Well, kind of.…— JohnnyOnTheSpot (@SpotJohnny11668) June 5, 2024
The executive order, announced at the White House, will restrict border access and allow for the deportation of incoming immigrants, with certain exceptions. This decision comes as the average daily border encounters in April exceeded 4,300, consistently surpassing the new 2,500 daily threshold after Biden lifted Trump’s COVID-19-era immigration restrictions.
Initially hesitant to take new executive action, Biden attributes this move to Republican interference with the Senate immigration deal backed by the Border Patrol union. He claims that Republicans, influenced by former President Donald Trump, have prioritized partisan politics over resolving the immigration system and securing borders.
However, this decision risks alienating the progressive wing of the Democratic Party and faces criticism from organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, which plans to sue the Biden administration. They argue the order mirrors Trump's asylum ban and violates human rights and American values of welcome. Liberal lawmakers and immigration activists have also condemned the executive action as harmful and xenophobic.
Despite the backlash, some Democratic lawmakers from Southwest and Western states support Biden's action. Representatives like Mike Levin and Senators Mark Kelly and Catherine Cortez Masto have called for addressing the border situation.
Conversely, former President Donald Trump and his allies criticize Biden's order for not sufficiently addressing the flow of immigrants into the country, framing it as an attempt to boost Biden's declining approval ratings. House Speaker Mike Johnson and other Republican leaders dismiss the executive order as a political stunt and criticize its perceived inadequacies.
This rewrite highlights the reactions to President Biden's border security executive order from different political perspectives, emphasizing concerns about its impact on immigration policies and the varied responses from both Democrats and Republicans.
