Taking leaf out of Trump's book? Biden considers executive action to restrict asylum at border

US President Joe Biden is mulling executive action that would prevent illegal migrants from seeking asylum in the country after they have crossed the southern border, according to US media reports.

The move, reminiscent of his predecessor Donald Trump is expected to invite backlash from the liberal Democrats who have batted for assimilating the migrants for a long time.

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Biden is expected to cite a law dating back to 1952, known as 212(f) to reduce the intake of migrants. The specific law allows thepresident to "suspend the entry" of foreigners when their arrival is not in the country's best interest.

The Trump administration repeatedly used thislaw to ban migrants and those travelling from certain countries, predominantly Muslim nations.

Under the proposals being discussed at the White House, the ban on migrant entry would only kick in after a certain number of illegal crossings had been made over an unknown period.

If approved, the executive action could be announced in the next 14 days, according to a report in CBS News. However, the action might be legally challenged akin to the way Trump's move was blocked by federal courts in 2018.

Watch | US: 'Dreamers' left in lurch by Senate Border Bill

Bipartisan bill to address migrant issue

The $118 billion bipartisan bill passed in the Senate earlier this month had measures to overhaul the immigration policy as well as provide emergency aid for Ukraine, Israel and partners in the Indo-Pacific region. Of the total amount, $20 billion had been earmarked for shoring up the US border areas to prevent illegal migration.

Biden justified the contents of the bill, saying it wouldgive him authority to “shut down” the border when it gets overwhelmed. He added the bill made the asylum process “fairer and more efficient” whileexpeditingwork permits for those already in the US.

However, the Republican-dominated House of Representatives tanked the bill, forcing the Biden administration to look for alternatives. The GOP lawmakers were majorly influenced by Trump who argued thatmeasures in place in the bill to address the illegal migration issue were largely 'insufficient'.

Experts are of the view that Biden is now attempting to change his image on the immigration issue which has tanked his approval ratings. Statistics showed that migrant encounters reached a record high of 302,000 in December last year at the southern border. It was one of the reasons why Biden's Homeland Security chief was impeached by the House.

(With inputs from agencies)