ACLU promises to challenge Biden's immigration order

ACLU plans challenge to Biden immigration order

What you probably already know: President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued an executive order that would prevent migrants from seeking asylum in the U.S. when the number of people crossing increases dramatically. The order kicks in where the seven-day average for illegal crossings hits 2,500 a day. Current crossings exceed that, thus putting the law into effect immediately.

Why? The number of people crossing into the U.S. illegally has soared in recent years, and the Biden administration is under pressure to slow this ahead of the election. The law is similar to legislation that was blocked by Republicans earlier this year, though is similar to measures Donald Trump put into place when he was president during the pandemic.

What it means: While there are a few exceptions to the law, such as victims of human trafficking and minors, most migrants seeking asylum will be turned away. This adds a new challenge for newly elected Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, as U.S.-Mexico relations hang in the balance. The American Civil Liberties Union has also said it plans to challenge the executive order.

What happens now? The ACLU says this decision puts tens of thousands of lives at risk and called it a “cruel restriction.” People who are seeking asylum must prove they would suffer persecution in their home country and are generally granted temporary rights to stay in the U.S. until a court can hear their case. Under the new order, the Biden administration said it would remove individuals who crossed illegally in a matter of days if not hours in an attempt to avoid the cramped holding cell conditions of previous administrations.