Can Biden’s Border Closure to Asylum Seekers Be Successfully Implemented?

President Biden’s executive order to shut down the U.S. border with Mexico to nearly all migrants seeking asylum has sparked a wave of reactions and concerns. The move, aimed at defusing a major vulnerability in his campaign against former President Donald J. Trump, has left many migrants in limbo.

In border towns like Mexicali and Ciudad Juárez, migrants like Guadalupe Olmos are feeling the impact of the new policy. With tears in her eyes, she expressed the futility of trying to enter the United States now. The previous practice of seeking out border agents and surrendering for asylum has been halted by Biden’s order, leaving many like Ms. Olmos stranded.

The effectiveness of the order is still uncertain, as the border lacks the resources to fully enforce it. Without additional funding from Congress, the border remains vulnerable to illegal crossings. The White House is facing pressure to address the issue of illegal immigration, but without the necessary resources, the long-term problems at the border may persist.

The new restrictions will only be lifted when illegal crossings drop significantly, a threshold that has not been met in years. As the legal challenges to the executive order loom, migrants like Ibeth María del Villar San Juan are forced to reconsider their plans and wait in uncertainty.

The impact of President Biden’s border closure will be felt for months to come, as the struggle to manage migration continues along the U.S.-Mexico border.