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At least two Texas border mayors are heading to Washington on Tuesday as President Joe Biden prepares to announce an executive order aimed at significantly reducing the number of migrants allowed to seek asylum in the U.S.
Brownsville Mayor John Cowen and Edinburg Mayor Ramiro Garza confirmed they were invited by the White House for the immigration announcement. Cowen told the Associated Press that he plans to attend, while Garza said he would provide more details on Monday regarding his plans.
Notably, the Democratic mayor of Eagle Pass, a Texas-Mexico border town where migrant numbers have led to a state-federal clash over border security, had not received an invitation as of Sunday. The mayor of McAllen said he was invited but could not attend due to a prior commitment.
A White House spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on other mayors who were invited to the announcement.
The AP reported last week that the White House was finalizing an executive order that could halt asylum requests and automatically deny entrance to migrants once the number of people encountered by U.S. border officials exceeds a new daily threshold.
This action is expected despite a decline in border crossings at the southern U.S. border since December, largely due to increased enforcement efforts by Mexico. However, Biden aims to prevent any potential spike in crossings that could occur later in the year, particularly as the fall election approaches, when cooler weather often leads to an increase in numbers.
Immigration remains a key issue for voters ahead of the November elections. Republicans are eager to criticize Biden over the issue, while Democrats argue that Republicans, influenced by Donald Trump, blocked a bipartisan border deal in Congress that would have implemented the toughest legislative restrictions on asylum in years.