President Biden is talking about maybe finally doing something about the border — and it only took a bit over three years!
In a Univision interview Tuesday, Biden teased that he’s considering signing an executive order by month’s end to drastically tighten up the southern border, using authority granted in Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to ban any migrant who crosses illegally from applying for asylum.
But, he says, he’s unsure “whether or not” he has “that power”: “Some are suggesting that I should just go ahead and try it. And if I get shut down by the court, I get shut down by the court.”
Utter baloney.
The language of Section 212(f) is perfectly clear, granting the power “to suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens” whenever the president “finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.”
Some lower-court judge might find some excuse to overrule that, but most of the Supreme Court can read.
Plus, President Donald Trump used it repeatedly, in multiple executive orders — ones Biden rescinded right after taking office.
And the White House leaked heavily back in February that it was looking at executive action on the border, only to back off when the Democratic left erupted.
Instead, Biden decided to pretend he was powerless because Republicans wouldn’t pass a bill spelling out new powers.
But that excuse isn’t working: The issue is still killing him in the polls, so he’s floating another trial balloon about doing what he’s always been able to do.
This time, he might even overrule the staff that demand open borders. (As Franklin Foer’s book revealed last year, Biden opted to heed the staff back in 2021, despite saying that moves “to increase the number of people in the country” are ” kind of crazy.”)
To be clear: We hope he quits playing helpless, and acts for the good of the nation.
Will the voters will forgive him for letting in terrorists, criminals and drugs, along with the millions of “asylum seekers” who’ll cost taxpayers an estimated $451 billion a year?
We doubt it, since nothing would stop him from switching back once he wins re-election.
But it’s the best single thing he can do to boost his chances in November: actually listening to the people.