US to reverse Trump's immigration policies, Biden tells Mexican president
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Biden has made an early push for a bill that would open a path for citizenship for the roughly 11 million people living in the United States illegally, though even his allies in Congress acknowledge that may be "a Herculean task."
The United States, under the new Biden administration, is planning to reverse Trump's "draconian" immigration approach while working on policies addressing the causes of migration.
Cracking down on both legal and illegal immigration was a core focus of Biden's predecessor, Donald Trump. Biden, meanwhile, has made an early push for a bill that would open a path for citizenship for the roughly 11 million people living in the United States illegally, though even his allies in Congress acknowledge that may be "a Herculean task."
In a Friday call with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Biden outlined his plan to create new legal pathways for immigration and improve the process for people requesting asylum, according to an account of the call released by the White House.
Priorities include "reversing the previous administration’s draconian immigration policies," the White House said.
The two leaders agreed to work together towards reducing "irregular migration."
The call was “pleasant and respectful,” López Obrador said in a brief Twitter post. "Everything indicates relations will be good and for the benefit of our people and nations."
Mexico has a major role to play in Biden’s plans for immigration reform. Earlier this month, Mexico helped coordinate efforts in Central America to contain a large caravan of migrants heading for the United States.
Mexico’s Foreign Ministry also said it had begun talks with Washington about a COVID-19-related order signed by Biden to establish firmer health protocols for people entering US territory.