June is a significant month for immigrants in America, marked by both National Immigrant Heritage Month and National Caribbean American Heritage Month. These observances are meant to honor the countless immigrants—whether from the Caribbean like myself or other parts of the world—who have contributed immensely to the greatness of this country. These immigrants include those who were brought here against their will, such as enslaved people, and those who chose to come seeking a better life.
On May 31, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation to recognize these months, emphasizing America’s unique identity as a nation enriched by the diversity of its people. In his proclamation on National Immigrant Heritage Month, Biden eloquently stated: “America is the only country in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new. We are home to people whose ancestors have been here for thousands of years and home to people from every place on Earth. Some people came freely, some came chained by force, some came when famine struck or to flee persecution, and some came to chase dreams that are only possible here in America. We all come from somewhere, but we are all Americans.”
However, it was disheartening to see President Biden, just days later on June 5, issue another proclamation focused on “securing the border.” While I understand the need for a comprehensive plan to address illegal immigration and the rising influx of migrants entering via the southern border, the timing and nature of these proclamations reeks of hypocrisy.
On one hand, Biden’s May 31 proclamation highlighted his efforts to rebuild the United States Refugee Admissions Program, positioning it as a beacon for displaced persons globally. Yet, within days, he endorsed a broad asylum ban via executive order, impacting migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
This order allows border agents to deport migrants without processing asylum claims and bars them from re-entry for extended periods. The border shutdown is activated if more than 2,500 migrants cross in one day, with exceptions for unaccompanied children, those facing serious medical or safety threats, and victims of trafficking, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This policy is not only politically unsound but also a slap in the face to immigrants, particularly during National Immigrant Heritage Month and National Caribbean American Heritage Month. Who is advising Biden? While securing the U.S. border is necessary, implementing such measures now, even as his voter base begins to waver, makes no sense. Is he so eager to appease the right that he has forgotten his core supporters?
Biden is essentially digging his own political grave or, worse, falling into the one
Republicans and Trump are preparing at the border. Ironically, as a candidate in 2019, Biden criticized Trump’s asylum policies during a debate, stating: “This is the first president in the history of the United States of America that anybody seeking asylum has to do it in another country. That’s never happened before. You come to the United States, and you make your case. That’s how you seek asylum, based on the following premise: why I deserve it under American law.”
In 2024, much like his National Heritage Month proclamation, Biden’s words now carry little substance.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Felicia J. Persaud is the publisher of NewsAmericasNow.com, a daily news outlet focused on positive news on the Black immigrant communities of the Caribbean and Latin America.
