Biden Administration Strengthens U.S.-Mexico Border Asylum Ban

The Biden administration will extend an asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border to curb illegal crossings. The ban, now effective until migrant arrests drop below a daily 1,500 average over 28 days, aims to address public concern ahead of the November election between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

The Biden administration will toughen an asylum ban at the U.S.-Mexico border to keep it in place for longer, U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials said on Monday, signaling a desire to further curb illegal crossings.

The change, effective just after midnight, will leave asylum restrictions in place until arrests of migrants crossing illegally drop below a daily average of 1,500 over 28 days, lengthened from the current seven-day period, the official said. U.S. President Joe Biden, a Democrat, issued the asylum ban in June to drive down record numbers of migrants caught crossing illegally.

Immigration is a top voter issue in the run-up to the Nov. 5 election, which will pit Vice President Kamala Harris against Republican Donald Trump, an immigration hardliner.

(With inputs from agencies.)