Washington.- The Biden administration is considering actions that could make President Biden’s strict but temporary restrictions nearly impossible to lift, people familiar with the plans said Wednesday.
The move could essentially turn what has been a short-term fix into a central part of the U.S. asylum system.
And it could be another sign that the country is moving away from the long-standing U.S. practice of allowing anyone who sets foot on American soil the opportunity to seek protection.
The changes under consideration could build on Biden’s executive order in June, which blocked the vast majority of asylum claims at the southern border and allowed agents to quickly turn people back.
U.S. officials have said the order has deterred migrants from making the dangerous journey north and has resulted in a dramatic drop in asylum applications.
The relative calm comes as Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, tries to dampen Republican attacks on immigration.
Under the June order, asylum restrictions could be lifted when the number of people trying to cross illegally each day dropped to fewer than 1,500 a week, a concession intended to show progressive Democrats that Biden was responding only to the surge at the border — and not making permanent changes.
Crossings have not decreased to that low level, even with Biden’s restrictions in place.
Administration officials now want to extend the period required for the reduction in crossings to several weeks, according to two people familiar with the order.
That change could make it extraordinarily unlikely that restrictions can be lifted anytime soon.
White House officials say no decision has yet been made on any changes to border policy.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesman said the president’s previous action had successfully reduced illegal crossings by more than 50 percent, though he declined to confirm whether a new, tougher strategy was under consideration.
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