U.S. tightens measures to limit immigration, asylum

WASHINGTON, The U.S. administration on Tuesday announced a series of executive measures to limit illegal immigration and restrict asylum at the southern border. "Today, the Biden-Harris Administration took decisive new action to strengthen border security, announcing a series of measures that restrict asylum eligibility, and significantly increase the consequences for those who enter without authorization across the southern border," the White House said in a fact sheet. "These extraordinary steps, which will be in effect during times when high levels of encounters exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences, will make noncitizens who enter across the southern border ineligible for asylum with certain exceptions, raise the standard that is used to screen for certain protection claims, and speed up our ability to quickly remove those who do not qualify for protection," it added. "The Administration has repeatedly called on Congress to provide the resources and legal authorities needed to secure our bo rder. The measures announced today will better enable the Department to quickly remove individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States, strengthening enforcement and change the calculus for those considering crossing our border irregularly," it noted. "However, they are no substitute for Congressional action. We continue to call on Congress to provide the new tools and resources we have asked for to support the men and women on the frontlines," it said. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that new actions will bar migrants who cross Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. US President Joe Biden has taken action as Congressional Republicans put partisan politics ahead of national security, twice voting against toughest reforms in decades. "Today, he announced executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. These actions will be in effect when high levels of encounters at the Southern Border exce ed our ability to deliver timely consequences, as is the case today, it added. "They will make it easier for immigration officers to remove those without a lawful basis to remain and reduce the burden on our Border Patrol agents," it noted. Source: Kuwait News Agency