(NewsWorthy.news) – U.S. President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador have been making progress with implementing new steps to tackle illegal migration across the Mexico-U.S. border.
New measures agreed upon by the two leaders include stricter enforcement on public transport and more flights from both countries for migrants marked for deportations. National security aides in both countries will see “concrete measures” immediately come into effect with the aim of reducing border crossings. Biden and López Obrador discussed the measures during a phone call at the U.S. president’s request on April 28.
In recent months arrests at the southern border have been on the decline, despite seasonal trends usually seeing an increase in migrant numbers as the weather improves in Spring. The U.S. and Mexican governments agreed on tighter policies on immigration in May 2023, and by January the U.S. had already seen a decline in border crossings as Mexican authorities forced migrants off trains and sent others to Venezuela.
Arrests on the border have risen sharply in April at some parts of the border, however, particularly at San Diego which is currently the most active corridor for illegal border crossings. This is reportedly largely down to the strict policies introduced in Texas under Republican Governor Greg Abbott that have resulted in more migrants attempting to cross into California instead.
The migration crisis continues to be a central issue for both parties to address approaching the 2024 presidential election, as polls indicate that at least 72% of voters from seven surveyed battleground states think the country’s immigration and border control policies are counterproductive. The White House’s national security spokesman John Kirby announced the plans to focus on clamping down on major modes of transport being utilized to transport migrants across the border illegally.
Due to Biden taking 535 actions on immigration by January 2024, surpassing the 427 executive actions that former President Donald Trump took on immigration during his term, legal immigration numbers have increased considerably in addition to the number of migrants crossing the border illegally. Trump, who has long been criticized for his anti-immigration rhetoric branded by critics as dehumanizing and racist, has a history of controversial comments about Mexico. Despite this, the former president appears to be gaining ground among former Democratic voters, as the Biden administration battles to maintain a credible stance on border control approaching the November election.
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