Throughout his campaign and following his victory in the presidential election, Joe Biden has promised immigration reform. Over the last month, our office has published several posts regarding the President-elect’s promise for change within immigration. This week, President-elect Biden stated that although he hopes to reverse the damage caused by the Trump Administration, he is aiming for a slow approach in order to avoid a rush of “2 million people on our border.”

President-elect Joe Biden has previously stated that he plans to eliminate the “Remain in Mexico” policy set by the Trump Administration, which requires Central American migrants to remain in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed. However, during a press conference in Wilmington, Delaware this week, Biden stated, “The last thing we need is to say we’re going to stop immediately the, you know, the access to asylum the way it’s being run now and end up with 2 million people on our border.”

In regards to fulfilling his immigration reform promises, Biden also revealed that this will take time, stating, “It’s a matter of setting up the guardrails.” While Biden’s promises for reform have been a source of hope for many immigrants, his recent statements show that change will not be swift.

Immigrant advocates have been pushing President-elect Biden to implement broad changes to the immigration system, one that the Trump Administration has centered around detention and deportation over the last four years. In regards to Biden’s recent comments, Kennji Kizuka, a senior researcher and policy analyst Human Rights First, stated, “There needs to be some sense of urgency. There are a lot of refugees who are in danger in Mexico and who can be processed safely.”

While the future remains to be seen, it is vital for President-elect Joe Biden to fulfill his promises for reforming immigration in an effective manner that will ensure the safety and rights of immigrants.