DHS: Biden administration’s executive action on asylum procedures reduced the number of encounters by 40%

According to the Biden administration, President Joe Biden’s executive order on asylum policy, which took effect three weeks ago, has reduced the number of encounters at the border by 40 percent.

The executive action introduced a policy to send asylum seekers between ports of entry after more than 2,500 encounters along the southern border for seven consecutive days.

The restrictions on asylum applications would remain in place for another 14 days once the number of daily encounters at the border drops to a seven-day average of 1,500 or less.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the Texas Civil Rights Project and other civil rights organizations have filed a complaint in federal court challenging the rule, saying it puts vulnerable migrants at risk.

While the government says the new legislation is effective, it points out that it is “not a replacement” for the bipartisan border bill that failed in the Senate in May.

On average, there are 2,400 encounters at the border every day – although this is not enough to lift asylum restrictions, it is declining, the government said.

These figures come as Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas tours deployment sites along the southwest border on Wednesday.

Since this executive action took effect, DHS has deported and returned more than 24,000 people to more than 20 countries. Among other things, the department has conducted more than 100 international repatriation flights.