McALLEN, TEXAS — President Joe Biden is set to unveil a new executive order aimed at tightening asylum policies in the United States. Expected to make the announcement on Tuesday, Biden’s executive order represents his latest effort to address the influx of migrants seeking asylum.
Among those invited to attend the announcement are Brownsville Mayor John Cowen and Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza. Both mayors confirmed their participation, with Cowen stating his intention to attend, while Garza indicated he would provide further details on his plans.
However, as of Sunday, the Democratic mayor of Eagle Pass, a Texas-Mexico border town that has been at the center of state-federal disputes over border security, had not received an invitation. Additionally, the mayor of McAllen mentioned being invited but unable to attend due to a prior commitment.
A spokesperson for the White House did not immediately respond to inquiries about other mayors invited to the event.
Last week, the Associated Press reported that the White House was finalizing an executive order that could restrict asylum requests and automatically deny entry to migrants once the number of encounters with U.S. border officials surpassed a specified daily threshold.
Despite a recent decrease in border crossings since December, attributed in part to heightened enforcement efforts by Mexico, Biden aims to preempt any potential surge in crossings as the fall election approaches and migration tends to increase with cooler weather.
Immigration remains a prominent issue for voters leading up to the November elections, with Republicans seeking to leverage it against Biden. Democrats, in turn, argue that Republicans, influenced by former President Donald Trump, thwarted a bipartisan border deal in Congress that would have enacted significant restrictions on asylum seekers.