President Biden issues asylum restriction measures for migrants crossing the border

July 5, 2024

Following significant pressure on Biden due to his stances regarding the immigration crisis in the United States, on June 4th, the president issued a broad executive order aimed at stemming the record influx of immigrants at the US-Mexico border, which has left him politically vulnerable in an election year.

According to the BBC, under the order, which went into effect at 12:00 a.m. on June 6th, officials can swiftly expel immigrants entering the United States illegally without processing their asylum requests. «This will occur once a daily threshold is reached and the border is ‘overwhelmed’,» the White House said in a statement.

During a meeting with some mayors from border cities, President Biden said, «This action will help us regain control of our border.»

However, while opposition parties deem the measures insufficient, activists find them unfortunate. Jennie Murray, president and CEO of the National Immigration Forum, stated, «The policy is steering the immigration conversation in an increasingly restrictive direction.»

Pramila Layapal, chair of the congressional progressive caucus, expressed being «deeply disappointed» by the executive action, calling it «a step in the wrong direction.»

Quoting the BBC, «Mexican media outlets have described Biden’s measure as one of the toughest policies, although President Andrés Manuel López Obrador tried to downplay it, arguing that economic and cultural exchange made border closure ‘impossible.'»

«In remarks to reporters on Tuesday, senior administration officials rejected comparisons with Trump-era policies, stating that the new rules would only apply during periods of increased arrivals. They mentioned exemptions would be made for unaccompanied children and trafficking victims. Meanwhile, Republicans have criticized Biden’s border plan as an election-year ploy and advocated for tougher measures.»

The country and the immigrants en route are awaiting how this measure will unfold in the coming days and all its short, medium, and long-term repercussions.

For guidance and support regarding your immigration matters, contact Pikes Peak Immigration at 719-602-4477.

A group of people are walking behind a barbed wire fence.
President Biden issues asylum restriction measures for migrants crossing the border

Arrests of undocumented immigrants outside immigration courts have increased.

By 7070266136 • May 29, 2025
According to sources such as Newbreak, several specific cases have emerged where a judge dismisses the case during the hearing, but ICE officers are waiting outside the courthouse to detain the individual as they leave. Newbreak.com recently reported that at least eight arrests of this kind have taken place in Memphis, with similar cases occurring in other parts of the country as well. One of the most recent known cases involved a 20-year-old Venezuelan student who was arrested by ICE officers after leaving a courtroom in New York. The young man, named Dylan, was in the process of applying for asylum. He attended the hearing with his mother, without a lawyer, believing it was a routine appearance that would have no consequences. In another instance, four asylum seekers were arrested by ICE on May 27, 2025, at the San Francisco Immigration Court while attending hearings to present their asylum applications. According to an article published by La Nación, a New York judge reported that ICE agents have been arresting undocumented immigrants inside state courthouses, despite existing laws that prohibit such practices. These arrests have raised serious concerns among civil rights advocates and immigrant communities, particularly in light of the stricter immigration policies implemented since Donald Trump returned to the presidency in January 2025. Importantly, in most of these cases, the individuals arrested attended their hearings without legal representation. This likely contributes to the effectiveness of these arrests, as ICE may be taking advantage of the detainees’ lack of legal knowledge. While having an attorney present does not guarantee protection from arrest, it is considered a significant advantage. Legal representation can help build a stronger case and present more compelling legal arguments to prevent arbitrary detention. At Pikes Peak Immigration, we continue to fight for the rights of our immigrant communities. If you need legal guidance, don’t hesitate to contact us at 719-602-4477.

Justice Department Fired Attorney Who Opposed the Erroneous Deportation of an Immigrant

By 7070266136 • May 9, 2025
On April 15, 2025, the U.S. Department of Justice fired immigration attorney Erez Reuveni following his handling of the case of Kilmar Abrego García, a Salvadoran man who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador. Reuveni had acknowledged during a court hearing that the deportation was an "administrative error" and expressed frustration over the government's failure to provide clear answers on how to reverse the situation. According to CNN, “Reuveni was initially placed on administrative leave days after expressing frustration over the government's inability to provide answers to a judge’s questions in the case. In court, he said of the government’s position: ‘Our only arguments are jurisdictional... He should not have been sent to El Salvador.’” His dismissal was interpreted as a consequence of failing to fully support the administration’s official position. Attorney General Pam Bondi defended the decision, stating that lawyers must “zealously” advocate for the administration’s policies or face consequences. Presidential advisor Stephen Miller downplayed the error, blaming it on a poorly worded line written by the attorney. However, Reuveni’s case is not an isolated incident. According to NBC Boston, “The U.S. Department of Justice has fired more than two dozen employees, most of whom worked in immigration courts... An immigration judge assigned to Massachusetts, who was fired on Friday, and the union representing immigration judges nationwide are speaking out about the dismissals, which come as President Donald Trump moves swiftly to reduce the federal workforce.” As for Kilmar Abrego, “a federal judge ordered his return to the U.S., but the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocked the order. The president of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, refused to facilitate his return, labeling him a ‘terrorist’ and claiming he would not ‘traffic a terrorist back into the U.S.,’” El Salvador News recently reported. Despite intimidation and increasingly harsh immigration policies, at Pikes Peak Immigration, we continue to defend immigrants and pursue every solution to keep families together.

The Department of Justice granted DOGE access to confidential immigration information.

By 7070266136 • April 25, 2025
According to documents reviewed by The Washington Post , the Department of Justice (DOJ) recently authorized access for approximately six advisors from the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to the ECAS system—a highly confidential database that contains detailed information on millions of immigrants, including names, addresses, medical histories, and court testimonies. This system, typically restricted to attorneys and federal investigators, holds records of all interactions—both legal and undocumented—between immigrants and the U.S. government dating back to the 1990s. Among the DOGE advisors granted access are individuals connected to Elon Musk, including employees from his private equity firm. One of them, Marko Elez, has previously been linked to racist social media posts. This access was granted despite a federal judge in Maryland issuing a temporary restraining order in February of this year against the Department of Education and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). In her opinion, the judge stated that the plaintiffs—which include members of several major labor unions—demonstrated that the Department of Education and the OPM "likely violated the Privacy Act by disclosing personal information to DOGE affiliates without consent," as reported by Telemundo40 a few months ago. The access is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration and DOGE to collect data from multiple federal agencies—including Medicare, the IRS, the SSA, and HUD—with the aim of ramping up deportations and excluding immigrants from social benefits. Some tactics reportedly include declaring living immigrants as deceased to pressure them into leaving the country. As The Washington Post reported after investigating the matter, "DOGE has frequently sought data originally provided for specific purposes—such as tax filing or housing assistance. The team's methods have alarmed legal and privacy experts, as well as federal employees, who note that the data DOGE is analyzing is typically accessible only to a select group of highly trained personnel." Legal and privacy experts have raised serious concerns over the lack of oversight and the risks posed by granting access to such sensitive data—especially for immigrants who have followed legal immigration procedures. If you are an immigrant or know someone at risk of deportation, contact us for assistance at 719-602-4477.
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