The Biden administration enacted plans this week to restrict the number of migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. A bipartisan border security deal collapsed in February when most Republicans in Congress voted it down, resulting in this unilateral action.
Kristie Canegallo, acting deputy secretary of Homeland Security, said in a press conference that these steps will allow for better efficiency at the border.
“Taken together, these measures will significantly increase the speed and scope of consequences for those who cross irregularly. This will allow us to remove individuals who don’t have a lawful basis to remain more quickly,” she said.
Officials noted that using the CBPOne app, a mobile application that serves as a portal to a variety of Customs and Border Protection services, allows people to be processed faster.
According to Senior Adviser to the President Tom Perez, 1400 people a day enter the US using the CBPOne app.
“We’ve also, unlike the prior administration, revitalized the refugee resettlement program that was indeed gutted by the previous administration. And we are on track now to resettle over 100,000 refugees,” said Perez.
He summed up the policy changes this way:
“This is about making sure that we can effectively control the borders while acknowledging the need to uphold both our domestic and international humanitarian requirements. That’s what this is about,” Perez said.
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