U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order Tuesday that would immediately turn down requests for entry into the United States by asylum-seekers crossing the southern border illegally, in the event that officials deem the border is overwhelmed.

The long-awaited measure, which Biden has been contemplating for months, would kick in once the seven-day average for illegal crossings between ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border hits 2,500 per day, effectively shutting down the border, according to senior administration officials.

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency