Biden faces complex juggling act on immigration as election nears

A large portion of US voters see immigration as a primary concern ahead of the November election.

British Broadcasting CorporationWatchHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveHomeNewsIsrael-Gaza WarWar in UkraineUK General ElectionUS & CanadaUKUK PoliticsEnglandN. IrelandN. Ireland PoliticsScotlandScotland PoliticsWalesWales PoliticsAfricaAsiaChinaIndiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastIn PicturesBBC VerifySportBusinessFuture of BusinessTechnology of BusinessWork CultureInnovationTechnologyScience & HealthArtificial IntelligenceCultureFilm & TVMusicArt & DesignStyleBooksEntertainment NewsTravelDestinationsAfricaAntarcticaAsiaAustralia and PacificCaribbean & BermudaCentral AmericaEuropeMiddle EastNorth AmericaSouth AmericaWorld’s TableCulture & ExperiencesAdventuresThe SpeciaListEarthNatural WondersWeather & ScienceClimate SolutionsSustainable BusinessGreen LivingVideoLiveLive NewsLive SportHomeNewsSportBusinessInnovationCultureTravelEarthVideoLiveAudioWeatherNewslettersBiden is walking immigration tightrope - but he's under fire no matter what17 hours agoBy Bernd Debusmann Jr, BBC News, Washington ShareGetty ImagesImmigration and the US-Mexico border are cited by many Americans are their primary electoral concern. US President Joe Biden has vowed not to "play politics" with the southern border and immigration - a potentially tall order as the US hurtles toward the November presidential election.

Mr Biden's comments came on what he called a "good day" in which he announced an executive order aimed at protecting hundreds of thousands of undocumented spouses of US citizens from deportation and allowing them to work in the US.

His actions, however, have drawn criticism from Republicans and some fellow Democrats alike, forcing the president into a complex juggling act.

Polls show that a majority of voters see immigration as one of the most important problems facing the country - a fact which makes Mr Biden's stated desire to be apolitical on the issue difficult.

The new executive action announced by the administration on Tuesday has been widely praised by immigration activists and Democrats alike, many of whom have lauded it as the most significant relief programme for undocumented migrants already in the US since the Obama administration announced the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or Daca, in 2012.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c888n55ev44o

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