The Joe Biden administration has announced its decision to extend certain border security measures and resume deportations of Venezuelan migrants, a move that carries forward a signature policy of former President Donald Trump. This decision comes just two weeks after President Joe Biden granted temporary legal status to over 470,000 Venezuelans living in the United States, citing unsafe conditions in their home country as the reason for their protection.

Venezuelan migrants have been a significant presence at the US-Mexico border, with last month witnessing the largest single group of encounters. This influx has put immense political pressure on the US government to address immigration-related challenges. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has been actively transporting migrants from the southern border to cities like New York, Washington, and Chicago for over a year, sparking heated debates and complaints from Democratic officials in those urban centers.

It's important to note that one of President Biden's initial actions upon taking office in January 2021 was to issue a proclamation declaring that "no more American taxpayer dollars be diverted to construct a border wall" and to initiate a review of previously allocated resources.

However, the recent announcement about extending the border wall and continuing deportations does not contradict Biden's proclamation, according to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. He clarified that the decision was based on funds that had been allocated during Trump's administration in 2019, which now must be spent as required by law. Mayorkas emphasized that the Biden administration has consistently maintained that a border wall is not the ultimate solution to border security but was constrained by legal obligations to proceed with this construction project.

Former President Trump was quick to claim victory, asserting that "wheels and walls" have consistently worked throughout history and demanding an apology from President Biden.

The topic of immigration is likely to be a prominent theme in the upcoming US presidential race, with a significant portion of Americans, approximately 54 percent, believing that "immigration is making life harder for native-born Americans," according to a recent report. This sentiment is particularly strong among Republicans, with 73 percent agreeing with the statement, while 37 percent of Democrats share this view.

The Biden administration's decision to move forward with border barrier construction will undoubtedly expose the president to criticism from his left-leaning base, including immigration advocates and environmentalists who oppose further construction. In a notice published in the Federal Register, Biden's Department of Homeland Security cited the necessity to waive several laws, regulations, and legal requirements to construct barriers in Starr County, Texas, a region in the Rio Grande Valley Sector where Border Patrol agents have encountered over 245,000 individuals attempting to enter the US this fiscal year.

Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas argued that "there is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries."

It is essential to acknowledge that approximately 11 million immigrants currently reside in the US without legal documentation, according to the Washington-based Migration Policy Institute, with many having established lives and careers in the country over the course of years or even decades.