The southern border of the United States was closed this Thursday at the end of the morning when in a speech to the nation, President Biden presented his new policy for undocumented immigrants by blocking the entry of Cubans, Nicaraguans and Haitians.
The plan is the same that has already been applied to Venezuelans, and that stopped 90% of the arrival of migrants from the South American country since mid-October.
Those who want to come to the United States must apply electronically from their country of origin for a visa valid for two years and with a work permit. They must have a sponsor who will take responsibility for them during their stay in the country, show a clean criminal record, and undergo a background check.
Simultaneously, it will allow a total of up to 30,000 people from those countries to enter by air each month, Biden said.
Southern border of United States would be closed to Cubans soon
The plan is part of a broader effort to deter record numbers of immigrants from crossing the border and is poised to tackle one of the biggest political and humanitarian challenges that has plagued Biden since he took office in January 2021.
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“This new process is orderly, it’s safe, and it’s humane,” he said. And he added a loud and clear message to potential immigrants from Cuba, Nicaragua and Haiti: “do not just show up at the border.”
“These actions alone aren’t going to fix our entire immigration system,” he said, but they could “help a lot.”
He explained that, in practical terms, Cubans must be in their country in order to apply.
Those who are in the United States and have entered clandestinely will be quickly expelled to Mexico. Its president Manuel López Obrador has already expressed his willingness to receive up to 30,000 migrants from the four countries, a unique position in Mexican foreign policy, whose leaders have historically seen border problems as a U.S. issue.
“Reinforcing” the border with Mexico will be a central theme in next week’s meeting with his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
“Today, my administration is taking several steps to stiffen enforcement for those who try to come without a legal right to stay,” Biden said from the White House.
In recent times thousands of people have been migrating informally from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela. Currently these countries represent the majority of people who travel to Mexico to try to start a new life and try to cross to the other side. But, Biden noted, instead of a safe and orderly process at the border, we have “a broken system that just doesn’t work the way it should.”
He acknowledged: “We don’t have enough asylum officers or personnel to determine whether people qualify for asylum. There’s a standard by what you have to meet. You don’t have enough immigration judges to adjudicate the claims of immigrants.”
And he made one point clear: “Starting today, if you don’t apply through the legal process, you will not be eligible for this new parole program.”
And he went further: “If your application is denied or you attempt to cross into the United States unlawfully, you will not be allowed to enter.”
Hours later, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Cuban-American Alejandro Mayorkas, ratified Biden’s announcement. He said: “Let me be clear: Title 42 or not, the border is not open. We will continue to fully enforce our immigration laws in a safe, orderly, and humane manner. Individuals without a legal basis to remain in the United States will be subject to prompt expulsion.”
Immigrant rights groups and some Democrats have criticized Biden for expulsions that they say contradict his 2020 campaign promise, particularly sending them to Mexico, which exposes them to risks such as kidnapping and assault.
