by Ted Hesson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Biden administration could bar tens of thousands of immigrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border from seeking asylum if they pass through another country en route to the United States without seeking protection, under a proposed regulation. already underway on Tuesday, five sources told Reuters.
The proposed restrictions, which aim to stop people crossing the border without authorization, will be subject to a 30-day public scrutiny period and then be reviewed before final publication, two of the sources said.
US President Joe Biden, who is expected to seek re-election in 2024, has encountered both operational and political difficulties in dealing with the record number of migrants caught crossing the border since taking office two years ago.
While Biden initially promised to restore access to the asylum that had been restricted by former Republican President Donald Trump, he has increasingly embraced Trump-style restrictions.
Biden’s plan to ban certain asylum seekers mirrors similar attempts made under the Trump administration that ended up blocked by federal courts.
Under the proposed regulation, immigrants who do not use existing legal pathways to the United States or seek protection “in transit” will be subject to “a rebuttable presumption of ineligibility for asylum” unless they qualify for certain exceptions, it said. the US Department of Homeland Security in January.
The regulation will likely face legal challenges from immigrant rights groups if it goes into effect.
(Additional reporting by Kristina Cooke in San Francisco)