US President Joe Biden is under intense political pressure over a record number of illegal border crossings. Now the country’s asylum rules need to be significantly tightened. This is to prevent an influx of migrants to the country’s southern border when corona travel restrictions are soon lifted, a government representative in Washington said on Tuesday. For example, an asylum application should only be possible from outside the US in the future.
Specifically, migrants would now have to apply for US asylum in one of the transit countries or via an internet app and a deadline must apply to an immigration officer. If they fail to do so and simply come to the US, they should automatically lose their right to asylum. The tightening is of course aimed at South and Latin American refugees who want to go to the US via Mexico. According to estimates, this concerns about 200,000 people per month. Most of them leave their home countries such as Venezuela or Colombia to escape poverty and violence – eventually reaching the US on foot after a long journey, where many of them seek asylum.
Aid organizations criticize: ‘Illegal and immoral’
The new laws must come into effect in May at the latest. Aid organizations directly criticized the Biden administration’s proposals. “This blanket ban on asylum will barricade the door for countless refugees seeking safety and protection in the United States,” said Oxfam America President Abby Maxman. “This policy is illegal and immoral.”
The praise, on the other hand, came from Austria. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) saw his line confirmed by the US plans: “The US is now also following the model of a refusal directive. That shows that we are on the right track.” In a statement, Karner once again called on the EU Commission to take action and reiterated: “Putting the asylum brake on means preventing asylum abuse”.
FPÖ praises Biden: role model for the EU
The FPÖ also issued unusual praise for Democrat Joe Biden’s administration. Your delegation leader in the European Parliament, Harald Vilimsky, spoke in a broadcast about being a role model for the EU. “The US wants to tighten up its asylum policy and is thus setting a direction that could also help to curb the mass immigration of asylum seekers in the European Union,” said Vilimsky.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
