On Thursday, President Joe Biden announced the expansion of a program that will see the US accept as many as 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
Biden shared his plans during a White House speech, saying he also has plans to make a trip down the US southern border this coming Sunday. His trip will send him stop in El Paso, Texas, so he can meet with local officials to discuss and address security issues.
El Paso has become the epicenter of the immigration crisis, with thousands of migrants arriving at the city due to concern about the potential end of a Trump-era pandemic rule Title 42, which allows immigration authorities to swiftly return some migrants to Mexico.
Since being sworn into office almost two years ago, Biden has faced backlash from his political opponents for not visiting the border, and this will mark his first venture down there while in office.
During his speech, the president also called on Congress to step forward with new immigration laws, saying that his powers as commander-in-chief are not enough on their own to fix the issues facing the border.
“These actions alone that I’m going to announce today aren’t going to fix our entire immigration system, but they can help us a good deal in better managing what is a difficult challenge,” Biden said.
Still, Biden said it is “important to step back and see the bigger picture,” saying that most migrants come to the US seeking the American Dream.
The crisis at the border has been a stain on Biden’s time in office, and during his first visit with Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel Lopéz, he will discuss issues with migration.
No matter what conclusion lawmakers and the two world leaders come to, Biden said that the US will always be seen as a haven for those looking for safety.
“We should all recognize that as long as America is the land of freedom and opportunity, people are going to try to come here,” Biden said. “And that’s what many of our ancestors did. And it’s no surprise that it’s happening again today. We can’t stop people from making the journey, but we can require them to come here in an orderly way.”
While Biden is continuing to make plans for the end of Title 42, he shared on Thursday that the program will only accept migrants from the four countries, and anyone who does not come to the US properly through the program could be sent to Mexico under the law.
The Biden administration and other officials have said that this could mean as many as 30,000 migrants a month would be expelled a month if they are found to have been bypassing the US legal process.
For those attempting to come to the US via Cuba, Venezuela, Nicaragua, or Haiti, Biden said to use the application system being set up from their home countries first. They must then have a US sponsor or and be able to travel by plane if approved.
“My message is this: If you’re trying to leave Cuba, Nicaragua or Haiti, have agreed to begin a journey to America, do not – do not – just show up at the border,” Biden said. “Stay where you are and apply legally. Starting today, if you don’t apply through the legal process, you will not be eligible for this new parole program.”
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