President of the United States, Joe Biden confirmed Saturday his intention to “close the border” with Mexico if Congress gives him the authority to do so by approving legislation that Democratic and Republican senators have been debating in recent weeks.

“If this bill were passed into law, it would close the border right now,” he said. Biden made the announcement in a speech during a Democratic dinner in South Carolina, a state that will begin the Democratic primary process for the November election on Feb. 3.

Biden expressed support for the initiative, which senators from both parties have discussed for weeks, and called it “the most complex and intelligent border security project in history.”

The President expressed his intention to “close the border” for the first time in a long time. Statement released last night by the White House. However, this is the first time he has expressed this publicly in front of television cameras.

These statements represent a significant shift not only in Biden’s tone, but also in the traditional Democratic Party position on immigration issues, and, moreover, They reflect the importance that the issue has acquired for his election campaign.

Former President Donald Trump (2017–2021), the front-runner for the Republican nomination, focused some of his largest rallies on immigration and He has made it clear that he plans to use the issue against Biden.

According to the newspaper Washington Post, When Biden talks about “closing the border,” he is referring to the clause included in the bill, and that will allow migrants to be expelled if the number of arrests on the border with Mexico exceeds 5,000. on average five days.

According to this clause, the majority of migrants crossing the border illegally They could not apply for asylumin accordance with Washington Postwhere sources familiar with the text of the project are cited.

During this period, migrants could seek asylum at ports of entry, but with a limited number of places.

This measure will allow the indefinite expulsion of migrants until the number of apprehensions at the border with Mexico drops to fewer than 3,750 per day, according to the newspaper.

The text of the bill has not yet been made public, but senators said that They hope to release it next week.

The Senate, controlled by Democrats, showed readiness to approve the project. However, Republicans in the lower house, where they have a majority, have already expressed their rejection and, moreover, Trump asked them to reject any compromise with Democrats.

The border agreement is part of a wider package of measures currently being developed. negotiations in Congress.

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This package includes new aid funds for Ukraine and Israelitems that are Biden’s priority and for which he already asked Congress for approval in October.

However, Republicans refused to approve such aid. Unless changes are made to the asylum and immigration system, which led both Biden and members of Congress to the current situation.

In mid-January the President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador He assured that the borders between Mexico and the United States cannot be closed after former President Donald Trump, a contender for the Republican presidential nomination, promised this measure after winning the first election in Iowa.

“The borders between Mexico and the United States cannot be closed because economic and social integration is fundamental”, said on January 16 during a morning press conference at the National Palace.

“Good neighborliness is important,” he reiterated. The President argued that such a closure of relations between both countries would mean large economic losses for American and Mexican companies.

Lopez Obrador considered that Trump’s comments They were “part of the campaigns in the United States” to get votes.

(according to information from EFE And Aristegui News)