President Joe Biden talks with Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, left, as they stroll alongside a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso Texas, final month.

Andrew Harnik/AP

cover caption

toggle caption

Andrew Harnik/AP

President Joe Biden talks with Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, left, as they stroll alongside a stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border in El Paso Texas, final month.

Andrew Harnik/AP

Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), whose district contains components of the U.S.-Mexico border, has lengthy been important of how Republicans and Democrats have handled immigration.

But he says a new asylum rule proposed by the Biden administration is a “reasonable” method to cope with the record variety of migrants arriving on the U.S.-Mexico border.

The rule, which was proposed final week, would presume that migrants are ineligible for asylum in the event that they cross illegally, do not ask for cover in international locations they go, and do not notify U.S. authorities of their intention to hunt asylum by way of a cellular app.

Immigration rights advocates have criticized the rule as a violation of President Biden’s personal guarantees to revive asylum and have in contrast it to a Trump-era asylum ban.

Congressman Cuellar says the variety of migrants arriving on the southern border is overwhelming native officers and sources.

“If somebody is 1,500 miles away, it is so easy for people to say, ‘Oh, yeah, let everybody in,’ ” he says.

“But if you’re a mayor, you’re a county judge, you’re a landowner, you’re somebody down here at the border — and you see this day after day after day… you’re going to have a very different perspective. I think I’m speaking for my community [when I say] we just want to have order.”

Below are highlights from Cueller’s interview with All Things Considered on Sunday, edited for size and readability.

On how he responds to criticism that the proposed rule is just like Trump immigration insurance policies, just like the so-called “Remain in Mexico” program:

I do know among the immigration teams are saying, “Oh, it’s a Trump-like rule.” No, Trump wished to ban folks from coming in. All that is asking is that it might be an illegal pathway to get into the U.S. People can nonetheless ask for asylum to come back in.

On whether or not this rule change might alienate Democrats who help a extra expansive method to immigration:

If an individual thinks that the immigration activists are the one a part of the Democratic base, then they’re improper. They are a vital group. But like I’ve stated, once we discuss in regards to the points down right here on the border, I’ve at all times stated immigration activists are one [voice]. And I believe the White House listened to them too lengthy with out taking consideration to the women and men down right here which have so many households down right here.

Who’s listening to the border communities? When a rule like this comes out, the media mechanically goes to the immigration activist. Who calls the border mayor in Webb County or in Starr County or in El Paso? Or who calls the county judges or the mayors or the sheriffs down right here?

On the exceptions to the asylum rule for migrants arriving from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela:

You can return some folks that do not qualify for asylum simpler to lots of international locations. But there are international locations the place {our relationships} usually are not good: Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti. It’s a special scenario there. So if the international locations usually are not going to take them, then I believe we have to determine how we will attempt to assist these people, however nonetheless display screen each individual that is available in to be sure that there are not any causes for retaining them out.