WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Joe Biden may soon issue an executive order to shut down the southern borders, according to a new report.
According to the New York Post, a White House source indicates that Biden plans to grant himself the power to deport illegal immigrants once crossings reach 4,000 per day, a threshold that’s frequently exceeded, including this past April.
With the 2024 presidential election just 172 days away, Biden is facing mounting pressure from both sides of the aisle and from voters to address the border crisis
The report follows U.S. Customs and Border Protection data showing nearly 180,000 encounters in April, averaging just under 6,000 daily migrant crossings. (The number includes migrant encounters at ports of entry and between ports of entry.)
The border would have already been closed if the executive order had been in effect.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, said that the Senate could vote next week on a border bill negotiated between Republicans and Democrats months ago as part of that national security plan.
This bill includes a similar border shutdown cap, hiring thousands of border agents, and increasing detention center capacity.
However, considerable work likely remains before a potential vote.
“Joe Biden and the Democrats are terrified — terrified because they know they’re going to be held accountable for the results in this country and the damage done by illegal immigrants who are here. And the Democrats know they’re going to have to pay the price come November elections,” said Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming.
“Still, Democrats have not walked away from the bait. We want to secure the border. It’s going to take bipartisan action from Congress,” Schumer said.
So far this fiscal year, CPB has reported more than 1.5 million encounters along the southern border, consistent with last year’s record-setting numbers.
It’s still unknown when Biden might announce this executive order.
The White House has declined to officially confirm the report.
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