The migration crisis plaguing the United States reached a new all-time high last month. According to preliminary figures released by official US government sources, heard by the broadcaster ABCmore than 300,000 immigrants were counted along the country's southwest border in December alone, the highest monthly tally ever observed by authorities.
Until then, the record had been seen in September last year, when more than 200,000 migrants arrived at the border in 30 days.
The new data comes at a critical moment for the administration of Democrat Joe Biden, who this week began a legal battle against Texas for considering unconstitutional a state law, SB 4, which allows state authorities to arrest anyone who is illegally in its territorial demarcation, a measure that, in theory, could only be carried out at the federal level.
The crisis faced by the country has been one of the main challenges for the White House leader, who sees both Republicans and Democrats, who historically disagree on migration issues, criticizing in unison his management in relation to the issue and demanding a reform of the entry system of foreigners.
According to the newspaper The New York Timespublic managers linked to the Democratic Party in states such as Boston, Denver, Chicago and New York say they are experiencing growing crises in their cities and have almost daily pressured the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and other administration officials to present solutions to the problem.
In Colorado, more than 36,000 migrants have arrived in recent months, with 4,100 still in shelters in the city of Denver. In New York, more than 164,000 migrants have been placed in shelters since April last year, with many still residing in hotels and offices transformed into temporary shelters or camps set up to accommodate them.
This week, New York City Council, run by Democrat Erick Adams, filed a lawsuit against 17 charter bus companies that were hired by Texas Governor Greg Abbott to take illegal immigrants to the largest city in the United States. According to information from CBS Newsthe mayor wants bus companies to pay US$708 million (R$3.4 trillion), an amount equivalent to what the city hall spent to shelter illegal immigrants on an emergency basis.
Data from the US Border Patrol estimates that more than 2.4 million migrants were denied land passage between October 2022 and September 2023 in the country, a flow higher than in previous years. Between the last week of November and the beginning of December, the government estimated that the number of migrants detained at crossings grew by 31%.
The expansion of the crisis, closely watched by Biden, led to a meeting of White House officials with the Mexican government, led by López Obrador. Last week, the American Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, headed to Mexico for an urgent meeting with the president of the neighboring country, in order to discuss issues related to the increase in irregular migration and possible joint actions to control the flow leaving from Latin America towards the border.
The Biden administration asked Obrador for a continued effort to contain these migrants. Official data indicate that irregular migration at the border increased arrests in the country by 35%.
After the meeting, Mexico agreed to ease the flow towards the northern border with the US. Washington has already sent a request to the Supreme Court so that its federal agents can remove the barbed wires that the governor of Texas, Republican Greg Abbott, ordered installed to prevent the illegal entry of people into the state. Additionally, four border crossings in California, Arizona and Texas will be opened, according to the federal government.
The migration crisis has also been the reason for intense conflicts between Republicans and Democrats in the American Congress, where conservatives demand a tightening of policy to contain migration in exchange for a new aid package for Ukraine and Israel, countries that have supported the partnership. with the Biden administration to maintain its defense against Moscow and Hamas, respectively.
Despite agreeing to approve greater restrictions on the entry of immigrants and funding for border security, lawmakers from both parties have not yet been able to agree on values and ways to dedicate resources to the issue.
The pressure on Biden increases as the run-up to the November elections approaches, when the current president must run for re-election.
Even without a consolidated dialogue with the Republican Party about the crisis, White House officials have already signaled that they are open to measures that would make it more difficult to seek asylum in the country. According to the The New York TimesDemocratic negotiators including Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro N. Mayorkas appear willing to discuss new rules that could lead to faster deportations of migrants living illegally in American cities.
The possible political agreement would change the position that Biden has shown so far at the head of the White House, a period in which he has benefited thousands of immigrants in the country.
The issue is one of the main points that influence voters' decisions in the next presidential elections, scheduled for November this year, which could once again be disputed between the current Democratic president and former president Donald Trump, who has a strong anti-immigration stance. .
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