The administration of President Joe Biden has come under sharp criticism for its handling of the increasing influx of migrants at the southern border. Now, a lawsuit filed by 18 states, led by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, aims to stop what it calls a “half measure and smoke screen” for the border crisis.
The suit specifically targets the Department of Homeland Security's “Circumvention of Lawful Pathways” policy, which the administration has suggested as a way to “expand safe and orderly pathways” for migrants. However, the lawsuit charges that the policy is a ploy to obfuscate the true nature of the border situation.
“In a truly Orwellian twist, the federal government has depicted this latest measure as a tool for reducing illegal immigration,” Rokita said in a press release. “This new rule would make it even easier to illegally immigrate into the United States.”
Rokita also believes that the policy actually encourages illegal immigration, claiming that it has led to “an increasing number of migrants” using the CBP One app to make “bogus asylum claims” while avoiding being seen by cameras and public opinion.
The lawsuit comes as the administration has seen record-high numbers at the border. According to Rokita, “We’re now seeing more than 10,000 illegal border crossings occurring within some 24-hour periods. These are the highest numbers ever, and a large portion of these people are hardened criminals and cartel members. We cannot long endure this kind of invasion.”
The states joining in the legal challenge to the Biden administration include Tennessee, North Dakota, Alaska, Mississippi, South Carolina, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Virginia, New Hampshire, Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Missouri, and Oklahoma.
To make matters worse for the Biden administration, a recent poll from CBS News found that 63% of Americans disapprove of their handling of the border, a sharp contrast from the 37% approval rating the president has on the issue.
“The Biden Administration's border policies are a disaster,” Rokita said. “These extreme open-borders policies have created an unprecedented crisis at the border and are threatening the safety and security of our nation. We cannot allow them to continue.”
It remains to be seen whether the lawsuit will be successful in overturning the Circumvention Rule, but it is clear that the issue at the border has become increasingly contentious. The lawsuit is yet another example of the Biden administration’s handling, or lack thereof, of the border chaos being heavily criticized from all sides.