As Republicans make it clear that they will only support giving money to Ukraine and Israel if major changes are made to border policies, President Joe Biden is getting more involved in talks in the Senate, focusing on proposed changes to the immigration system.
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Proposed Changes and White House Engagement
So that there is no more disagreement about war help, President Biden is ready to make major changes to border policies. This week, the White House will be more involved in the talks that are already going on.
Republicans say that the growing number of people coming across the southern border is a security risk. They say that border policies need to be changed right away because of the strain on resources and the fact that screening methods aren’t good enough.
That’s because the Biden administration has used humanitarian parole a lot. This type of parole lets people enter the country without going through normal immigration channels for urgent humanitarian reasons. This scheme has been very important, from getting Afghans out of the country after the Taliban took over to taking in Ukrainian refugees.
READ ALSO: What major changes to US immigration policy could mean
Asylum Standards and Concerns
Asylum is an important part of the immigration system because it gives people who are being persecuted a way to become citizens. Raising the bar for initial credible fear interviews is something that is still being talked about. The goal is to address worries about abuse and the backlog in immigration courts.
The controversial concept of expedited removal, which was first introduced in 1996, has sparked heated debates. In a contentious debate surrounding the efficacy of immigration courts, defenders contend that they alleviate the strain on the system. However, critics, including immigration advocates, raise apprehensions regarding potential errors and inadequate safeguards for migrants.
The debates over suggested changes depend on how well deterrence works. Changes to asylum standards and limits on humanitarian parole could be game-changers for some, like former immigration court judge Andrew Arthur. On the other hand, retired judge Paul Schmidt says that desperate situations are what push people to make dangerous trips.
READ ALSO: Migrant encampments surge at border as asylum process bottlenecks
