The Biden administration is expected to release a new rule as soon as Tuesday that would largely bar migrants who traveled through other countries on their way to the US-Mexico border from applying for asylum in the United States, according to a source familiar with the plan, marking a departure from decades-long protocol.
The new regulation, which could affect thousands of people, is part of a patchwork of policies put in place by the administration to manage the border. It’s among the measures that have put President Joe Biden at odds with his own allies who argue that the administration’s approach is too enforcement heavy and piggybacks off Trump-era policies.
Most migrants transit through another country, if not several, on their journey to the US. The proposed asylum policy is reminiscent of a Trump-era policy that dramatically limited the ability of migrants to claim asylum in the US if they resided or traveled through other countries prior to coming to the US.
That policy had been blocked by federal courts.
Administration officials have rejected the comparison to the Trump administration and emphasized efforts to expand access to legal pathways to the US. The rule won’t take effect immediately as it is expected to be posted in the Federal Register and subject to public comment first.
The Biden policy, like the Trump-era one, has garnered wide condemnation from Democratic lawmakers and immigrant advocates. In a private meeting with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas last week, Democratic Hispanic senators expressed their ongoing concerns about the rule and opposition to it, according to a source familiar with the meeting.
Members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus had previously voiced frustration with the administration when the rule was initially announced, describing being blindsided by new border policies and the lack…
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