Over 150 international, national, state, local, and faith-based entities comprising a major coalition of progressive groups have issued a stern warning to President Joe Biden. In a letter obtained by POLITICO, these groups advised the White House against moving forward with a series of executive actions aimed at curbing migration along the southern border.

The policies under consideration, including a potential asylum ban between U.S. ports of entry, have raised concerns among the coalition that such measures mirror the approaches of the Trump administration and "extremist legislators." The Congressional Hispanic Caucus also criticized these proposed policies, emphasizing that using immigrant communities for political gain is ethically wrong.

The groups organized by the National Immigrant Justice Center and Human Rights First cautioned President Biden that adopting such measures would replicate failed strategies of the past administration, potentially causing significant harm and tarnishing his administration's reputation irreparably.

Reports indicate that the White House is contemplating a significant shift in its approach to the border issue, potentially placing the President at odds with key constituencies within his own party. Despite previously engaging in bipartisan talks in the Senate, those discussions faltered after encouragement from former President Donald Trump to walk away from the deal.

Among the ideas being considered by the White House are the use of the Immigration and Nationality Act to restrict asylum seekers between U.S. ports of entry. Additionally, officials are exploring ways to make it more challenging for asylum seekers to pass initial screenings and hasten deportations for those who do not meet established asylum standards.

The coalition of progressive groups urged the administration to embrace a more humane approach to border and asylum policies, emphasizing the necessity of delivering necessary resources to ports of entry for expeditious migrant processing. They also called for increased legal services and case management support for migrants and the expansion of legal migration pathways.

While final decisions on the proposed executive actions have not yet been made, the administration is reportedly considering unveiling these measures around the time of the upcoming State of the Union speech. The asylum ban being examined is currently undergoing legal review by the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel.

As the debate over these potential policies continues, President Biden faces mounting pressure from both his party's progressive wing and the need to manage the increasingly complex issue of migration at the southern border effectively.