Biden imposes strict restrictions on asylum at southern US border

New measures all but deny the right to claim asylum for people who cross the US southern border without authorisation.

Washington, DC – United States President Joe Biden has imposed new restrictions that would bar most migrants who cross the US southern border without authorisation from seeking asylum in the country.

The White House announced the new measures on Tuesday, saying that the US “must secure” its borders.

“These actions will be in effect when high levels of encounters at the Southern Border exceed our ability to deliver timely consequences, as is the case today,” the White House said in a statement.

“They will make it easier for immigration officers to remove those without a lawful basis to remain and reduce the burden on our Border Patrol agents.”

The measure will prevent any migrant who crosses the southern border without authorisation from applying for asylum if the average number of unauthorised daily crossings passes 2,500.