SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — The presidential election is less than five months away, and some politicians are questioning whether the president's recent immigration moves are political plays.
President Biden has announced two major immigration-related executive orders in the last two weeks.
The first order cracks down on asylum seekers, capping the number of migrants who can seek asylum if daily numbers exceed 2,500. Once daily averages go back down, migrants can again seek asylum.
The second executive order announced Tuesday creates a possible pathway to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants, such as spouses of U.S. citizens and DACA recipients.
With the first presidential debate just a week away, ABC 10News checked in with UC San Diego political science professor Thad Kousser.
"President Biden is trying to please both constituents to try to say, we're going to stem the flow of new people to the border but provide pathways to citizenship for people who are already in our communities," explains Kousser about Biden making a push for those undecided voters.
Some critics have said these orders are a last-minute political move by the president ahead of the election. However, Kousser explains that executive orders don't happen overnight and instead take time to be drafted before they’re officially announced.
"They've been underway for, for months and perhaps years in, in the groundwork being laid, and so that’s part of the process," explains Kousser.
However, Kousser says these orders bring one of former President Trump’s signature issues, immigration, to the forefront.
"Many supporters, especially in his base, but also many independents still prefer his approach to immigration. So, in some ways, elevating the profile of immigration as a political issue could play into Donald Trump's hands," says Kousser.
Both executive orders are expected to be challenged in court.
On Tuesday, Former President Trump said Biden’s plan would be thrown out on his first day in office.
