Bill Maher, the host of "Real Time with Bill Maher," has sharply criticized President Joe Biden’s recent executive order concerning asylum seekers at the U.S. border.
The Washington Examiner reported that during his talk show, Maher predicted that this policy, an asylum cap set right before the election, will likely fail.
The executive order sets a cap of 2,500 on the number of asylum seekers allowed into the United States. Once this number is surpassed, the border is automatically closed.
Maher humorously equated this mechanism to "surge-pricing with Uber," commenting on the unpredictable and fluctuating allowances that resemble pricing models of ride-sharing services.
Bill Maher noted that this approach mimics a similar strategy attempted unsuccessfully by former President Donald Trump. "He’s finally, after saying he couldn’t do anything, he’s gonna issue an executive order — by the way, this is the same executive order Trump tried to get through the courts, and they didn’t let him do it," Maher explained on his show.
Bill Maher elaborated on the specifics of the order:
If it passes 2,500, if it’s 2,501, then we automatically close the border. It’s a bizarre scheme that, of course, has pleased nobody. It looks like he did nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. He did try through Congress, and the Republicans purposely spiked that football. This is his last-minute, before-the-election Hail Mary pass, and it’s not gonna succeed.
According to Maher, the Democratic Party appears hesitant to define a clear limit on immigration, avoiding direct answers and deeming any cap as potentially "racist." This reluctance, Maher argues, affects public perception and policy effectiveness.
Since President Biden took office, Maher claims that more than 10 million immigrants have entered the U.S. illegally, marking the highest number recorded for any comparable period in past administrations.
If President Biden does not win the upcoming election, Maher believes the primary concerns would be related to his age and his immigration policies.
Despite expected gains, implementing new border policies under Biden has not significantly improved his favorability among Latino voters, who are an important demographic in the election. A recent poll indicated that while Biden's overall approval among Latino voters in March 2024 stood at 41%, it diminished from 53% in December 2021.
The new executive order and the broader issue of immigration could play a critical role in the upcoming election. Maher illustrates this point by remarking on the Democratic Party's hesitation and the public's mixed, often critical, reception of the proposed changes.
Bill Maher's assessment of President Joe Biden's executive order to cap asylum seekers highlights a strategy fraught with political risk and public scrutiny.
The talk show host’s prediction of the policy's failure reflects concerns about its practical implications, timing before the election, and how it compares to historical efforts under previous administrations. As the election approaches, this issue remains a contentious and significant element in the political sphere.
