Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Issues a Warning to Joe Biden on the Border

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By Andrew Stanton Weekend Staff WriterFOLLOW

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez issued a warning to President Joe Biden following reports he may use new executive action amid an uptick in migrant arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Biden has sought to take action to strengthen border security measures as the southern border continues to see high levels of migrant crossings. The border situation has created a political headache for Biden as he seeks reelection in November. Republicans have blamed his policies for the increase, though experts note external political and economic factors play a substantial role in driving migration.

There were more than 2.4 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2023 fiscal year, up from roughly 1.7 million in 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.

On Wednesday, several news outlets including the Associated Press reported that the Biden administration has been looking into a provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act that may give the president the authority to block some migrants from entering the U.S. if it would be "detrimental" to the national interest.

This provision was used by the Trump administration, including when they banned travelers from several Muslim-majority nations. Notably, the AP reported that the plans are not finalized, citing three people who are "familiar with the deliberations."

Ocasio-Cortez, a progressive Democrat representing New York's 14th Congressional District, slammed the idea in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, Wednesday night.

Ocasio-Cortez said that Biden should "refuse to sign" this executive order, describing its "mere suggestion" as "outrageous."

"Doing Trump impressions isn't how we beat Trump. Seeking asylum is a legal right of all people. In the face of authoritarian threat, we should not buckle on our principles - we should commit to them," she wrote.

Newsweek reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office and Biden's campaign for comment via email.

Ocasio-Cortez has broken from Biden over key policies throughout his tenure, as she remains one of the most progressive members of Congress. She endorsed Senator Bernie Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign and identifies as a democratic socialist.

Despite voicing criticisms of Biden at times, she backed Biden in 2024, saying during a July 2023 appearance on the "Pod Saves America" podcast that she believes he has done "quite well, given the limitations that we have."

Biden has sparked ire from progressives over his immigration policy. In December, the president faced backlash from some progressives over his negotiations with Republicans to reach a deal on immigration and border security that has since been blocked by conservatives.

Representative Pramila Jayapal, a Washington Democrat who chairs the Congressional Progressive Caucus, warned during that legislative battle in December that Biden could lose support from the progressive base if he does not consider their needs.

"The base of the Democratic Party—young people, folks of color, immigrants—that was the coalition that allowed Joe Biden to get elected.... This coalition is splitting apart. We need the president and his campaign to pay attention to what is happening on the ground," she said.

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