The U.S. government announces new restrictions on asylum applications at the border.

The Joe Biden administration announced new restrictions on those applying for asylum at the southern border of the United States on Monday, in an effort to demonstrate a stricter policy regarding border security.

The new regulations tighten the restrictions in place since June and prohibit asylum when it is deemed that the border has been exceeded, according to a report by the Associated Press.

Previously, asylum applications could be restricted if more than 2,500 migrants attempted to enter between the official border points.

Now the new rules require that the daily average of migrants be below 1,500 for almost a month in order for the restrictions to be lifted.

Additionally, all children will be included in that figure, not just those from Mexico, as was the case before.

These changes, which come into effect this Tuesday, October 1, make it even more difficult to lift the restrictions, preventing migrants who cross outside official points from applying for asylum.

Nevertheless, the restrictions from June have never been lifted, as the number of migrants has never been low enough.

Currently, the average number of daily encounters has reduced to approximately 1,800, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

A senior official justified the new tightening by saying that it is necessary to ensure a consistent and not temporary reduction in the number of migrants.

Immigrant advocacy groups criticized the new rules, arguing that they are sending people back into danger and do not meet the humanitarian obligations of the United States.

The American Immigration Lawyers Association described the new measures as a disguised ban on asylum.

The Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, rejected the criticisms and stated that the asylum system remains in effect, with exceptions for victims of human trafficking and migrants who use the CBP One app to schedule appointments at official border points.

However, the demand far exceeds the 1,450 available daily appointments.

The government has praised these restrictions, assuring that they have reduced the number of migrants arriving at the southern border by more than 50% since their implementation in June.

"This is a political movement. The Biden administration is trying to win voters. The border is a topic of great importance for the upcoming elections, and I believe that the candidates' positions on this issue will define who will win," said lawyer Ismael Labrador, consulted by journalist Mario J. Pentón about the changes.

Topics such as border security and unauthorized immigration continue to be a challenge for the Biden administration and a point of attack by Donald Trump, who accuses the current government of not doing enough to strengthen security at the border.

During her first visit to the border last Friday as a Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris toured an area of Arizona, where she advocated for the need to balance border security with a more orderly and humane system for legal immigration.