As the immigration crisis at the southern border of the United States continues to escalate, President Joe Biden is reportedly considering granting amnesty to illegal migrants as a potential solution. According to Politico, Biden and his administration are exploring various strategies to address the pressing issue of illegal immigration, which has drawn significant criticism for the perceived lack of action.
One proposed plan involves providing green cards to undocumented immigrants who have resided in the United States for more than a decade. This initiative, if implemented, would grant these individuals amnesty, allowing them to remain in the country legally. The criteria for eligibility would include having relatives who would face hardship if the migrants were deported, as reported by Politico.
Additionally, the Biden administration is contemplating strategies to provide support to states and cities that have absorbed a significant influx of illegal immigrants, such as Denver, Colorado, and New York City. This proposed assistance could alleviate some of the burdens placed on local communities grappling with the challenges of immigration.
President Biden has also considered utilizing executive authority to tighten asylum policies at the southern border, potentially raising the threshold for migrants to prove credible fear of deportation to their home countries.
The Daily Caller News Foundation notes Biden has previously claimed he was unable to act on the southern border crisis or illegal immigration unless Congress gave him approval to do so, going so far as to blame Republican lawmakers for stonewalling him.
“I’ve done all I can do. Just give me the power. I’ve asked from the very day I got into office,” Biden said during a press gaggle on Jan. 30. The Daily Caller adds that Illegal immigration has skyrocketed under the Biden administration. Roughly 2 million migrant encounters were recorded by Border Patrol at the southern border in fiscal year 2023, up from approximately 1.7 million in fiscal year 2021, according to Customs and Border Protection. Migrant apprehensions at the southern border never crossed more than one million under the former Trump administration.