Biden’s proposal denying asylum at border would cause ‘unnecessary suffering’, say critics

An aerial view of the US-Mexico border wall seen from Playas de Tijuana, Baja California state, Mexico, on 16 February 2023. Photograph: Guillermo Arias/AFP/Getty Images

Democrats and immigration advocates harshly criticized Joe Biden over a new proposal that could stop migrants claiming asylum when they arrive at the US-Mexico border. One advocate said the move would cause “unnecessary human suffering”.

The pushback came after the Biden administration unveiled a proposal that would deny asylum to migrants who arrive without first seeking it in one of the countries they passed through.