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President Joe Biden discussed his plans to overturn Trump’s immigration policies with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador on Friday. Biden wants to focus on condensing migration by “addressing its root causes,” look into efforts to increase “resettlement capacity and lawful alternative immigration pathways,” and enhance processing along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a readout released by the White House. They both agreed to work together to reduce “irregular migration.” López Obrador also welcomed Biden’s acceptance of the Mexican migrant community’s contributions to American life. “We discussed issues related to COVID-19 and cooperation for development and welfare,” said López Obrador. The Guardian
In other federal immigration news…
Democrats Have Big Expectations — And Worries — for Immigration Bill
Democrats say Biden’s immigration reform plan is “aspirational” and will take a “herculean” effort to pass. White House press secretary Jen Psaki meanwhile described the Biden administration’s bill as a “first step” and hopes it will be “the basis” of reform conversations among Congress. As Democrats tread a fine line of pleasing both progressive and conservative voters, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) referred to Biden’s plan as “aspirational,” and said he hoped to increase visas for agricultural and other workers. Meanwhile Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), who has worked with Democrats on immigration efforts in the past, said “comprehensive immigration is going to be a tough sale” this year. U.S. News & World Report and The Associated Press
Acting Attorney General Reassigned Prosecutor Who Refused Family Separations
Biden’s pick to temporarily run the Justice Department Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson, signed off on a decision to dismiss a prosecutor, Joshua Stern, after the prosecutor’s superiors said he was not sufficiently prosecuting migrant parents separated from their children, according to documents obtained by NBC News. In a memo dated Sept. 11, 2017, Stern’s superiors stated that he was not capable of performing his duties because he was “very concerned” about cases in which he had to prosecute an immigrant parent who was separated from a child and did not know where the child was. NBC News
