Byron York’s Daily Memo: Biden immigration fear: “Two million people on our border”

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BIDEN IMMIGRATION FEAR: “TWO MILLION PEOPLE ON OUR BORDER.” It was clear throughout the Democratic presidential primaries that all of the candidates would quickly reverse the Trump immigration policies that have discouraged would-be migrants from crossing into the United States illegally. They all vowed to put an end to practices they repeatedly called cruel and inhuman.

But now one of those candidates, Joe Biden, is president-elect. In four weeks he will be president. And Biden says he will not roll back Trump policies immediately but rather will take his time doing it. On Tuesday, he was asked by a reporter, “There are some immigration advocates who say, ‘Why not roll back the Remain in Mexico policy? Why not roll back the asylum restrictions?’ What is your timeline for rolling back some of the specific Trump administration immigration policies?”

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In response, Biden confirmed reports that he fears a massive influx of illegal immigrants at the border if he quickly overturns Trump practices. “The timeline is to do it so that we, in fact, make it better, not worse,” he said. “The last thing we need is to say we’re going to stop immediately the access to asylum the way it’s being run now, and end up with two million people on our border.”

Biden added that to lift every Trump restriction could lead to a “sudden…crisis on our hands.” Still, he promised action, suggesting he would move within six months.

By the way, Biden said that he is “already discussing these issues with the president of Mexico and our friends in Latin America.” Remember when members of the Obama-Biden administration actually investigated the incoming Trump-Pence administration because it was discussing potential policy changes with foreign officials? Now, apparently, that is OK again. If Joe Biden himself is doing it, certainly his transition foreign policy staff is doing it, too.

But what about all those Democratic activists who want all of Trump’s progress undone right this minute? Biden had the classic politician’s two-word answer: “Trust me.” But there’s no guarantee his go-sorta-slow approach will avoid a crisis, either. The fact is, Biden will be under enormous pressure from his own coalition to take drastic action on immigration. In addition, millions of people in Mexico and Central America who seek to cross illegally into the United States know that a change of administration is coming. They know that the incoming president has promised to do away with the Trump policies that were so effective in controlling illegal immigration. And they’re going to act on it on their own schedule, not Joe Biden’s.

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