A few minutes ago, Biden very quickly moved past immigration and referencing the “torch of liberty,” without offering much detail. It’s important to note that his administration has tried (unsuccessfully) to end the Migration Protection Protocols – referred to as “Remain in Mexico” – a program which has been widely criticized for violations of international norms and laws on refugee and asylum-seeker protections. His administration has also left “Title 42” expulsions in place through a public health ordinance which allows the United States to rapidly return migrants seeking entry at the border back to their countries of origin without asylum screenings. Biden previously justified his continuation of Title 42 expulsions in the context of the pandemic, but medical experts have voiced opposition to the policy and discredited the notion that it serves public health interests. It’s likely he passed over immigration so quickly in part because these kinds of policies have drawn strong criticisms from liberal coalitions within his party, so he is cautious not to dwell too much on the issue.
From the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
