Biden faces criticism over Border closures; Migrant numbers continue to rise

By: Adam Beam 3/26/21

It began as a driving force behind the Biden administration, the question of border security and influx of immigrants into the United States has been a mainstay in politics for over a decade now. Biden had expressed during his campaign that he would open the border far more than during Trump’s presidency, however amidst an unprecedented number of immigrants crossing the border, they have now closed it for an unspecified amount of time.

It was announced Sunday by Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas that the border is closed, and that it will be expelling all families and adults who attempt to cross. However, the Biden administration has made it clear that they will not back “young, vulnerable children.”

With this decision, the administration has faced heavy amounts of criticism, many feeling that the President is falling back on one of his key promises from his campaign. There has also been criticism towards the administration's reluctance to allow press down at the border to give the public a proper look at the situation.

Mayorkas, while on “Meet the Press” expressed blame towards the former Trump White House for “dismantling the orderly, humane, and efficient way of dealing with migrant children.”

The rise of migrants attempting entry has been increasing since early February just a little under a month into Biden’s first term. In February, border agents reportedly apprehended more than 100,000 migrants, a 28% increase from the previous month.

Wednesday, President Biden announced that he would have Vice President Kamala Harris head the White House’s effort to control the ongoing crisis. The main goal of Harris’s efforts is to slow the swell of migrants entering, as well as building relationships with Central American countries from which they are fleeing from.

On Thursday, President Biden had his first news conference as President and said, "The idea, to which I would never do, that an unaccompanied child ends up at the border, that we're just going to let them starve to death and stay on the other side. It's not true."

Currently there has yet to be any change in the border’s closure, yet more migrants continue to flood the facilities, as all we can do is wait to see what the Biden administration’s next step will be.