South Dakota

Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to be signed by Biden • South Dakota Searchlight

Published

2 weeks ago

June 4, 2024

Executive order limiting asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to be signed by Biden • South Dakota Searchlight

WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will sign an executive order on Tuesday that will allow him to partly suspend asylum requests at the U.S.-Mexico border when daily unauthorized crossings reach a threshold of 2,500 migrants.

“We do expect the authority would be in effect immediately,” a senior administration official said on a Tuesday call with reporters previewing the executive order. It would not be permanent and only applies to the southern border, including the southwest land border and southern coastal borders.

The White House has been dealing with the largest number of migrant encounters at the southern border in 20 years. In addition, presumptive Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has made it a top issue for voters. Biden’s move marks his most drastic crackdown on immigration during his administration.

The order makes three changes to asylum law under Title 8 of the Immigration and Nationality Act when that threshold of 2,500 migrants is reached, a senior administration official said. The first is that a noncitizen who crosses the border without authorization will be ineligible for asylum.

U.S. Senate kills immigration overhaul, hits stalemate on Israel, Ukraine aid

The second is any noncitizen who crosses the border while the order is in effect and is processed for removal will only be referred to a credible fear interview with an asylum officer “if they manifest or express a fear of return to their country or country of removal, a fear of persecution or torture, or an intention to apply for asylum,” a senior administration official said.

And the third is raising the standard for credible fear interviews to a “reasonable probability of persecution or torture standard,” which is “a new, substantially higher standard than is currently being applied at the border,” a senior administration official said.

“Taken together, these measures will significantly increase the speed and the scope of consequences for those who cross unlawfully or without authorization and allow the departments to more quickly remove individuals who do not establish a legal basis to remain in the United States,” a senior administration official said.

The order, versions of which were reported ahead of the White House announcement, drew criticism from both parties.

Republicans like U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana called it a “weak executive order,” while progressive Democrats slammed it as a partial ban on asylum.

A senior administration official argued that the executive order is different from the Trump administration’s immigration policies because the order will “only apply during times of high encounters.”

Biden, who campaigned in 2020 on protecting asylum law, is relying on the same presidential authority — Section 212(f) of the Immigration Nationality Act — that the Trump administration used to justify several immigration-related restrictions, such as the travel ban from predominantly Muslim countries.

The Biden order would also allow border officials to return certain individuals who cross the border without authorization back to Mexico – nationals from Cuba, Nicaragua, Haiti and Venezuela.

There will be exemptions for lawful permanent residents, unaccompanied minors, people with an “acute medical emergency” or an extreme threat to life or safety, and for victims of human trafficking, a senior administration official said.

A senior administration official said this temporary order would go away when there are seven consecutive days when daily encounters are less than 1,500 migrants between ports of entry. Once that is established, the order expires in 14 calendar days.

The Biden administration has considered moving forward with the executive order after an immigration deal the White House and Senate brokered earlier this year fell apart after Trump came out against it. Republicans quickly fell in line. Among other things, that deal would have given Biden the authority to shut down any asylum requests once encounters reached 5,000 people in a week or 8,500 in a day.

A senior administration official said the 2,500 threshold was chosen to be similar to the deal stuck in the Senate.

“To Joe Biden, the safety of American families should always come first,” senior deputy press secretary Andrew Bates said in a memo.

“That’s why today, the President is announcing new historic executive actions to bar migrants who cross our Southern border unlawfully from receiving asylum. Because of President Biden’s leadership, law enforcement will gain new capabilities that congressional Republicans cannot block.”

Thune slams Biden move as political

South Dakota Republican John Thune, the second-ranking Republican in the chamber, spoke Tuesday on the Senate floor in anticipation of Biden’s action and described it as late and politically motivated.

Thune said “it’s taking the fear of losing an election to motivate the president to take action on a national security crisis that has raged for more than three years.”

“And it raises serious concerns about how long the president’s interest in border security will last. If he wins another term, will he still care about the border?” Thune said. “Or does it take an election to keep him motivated about his national security responsibilities?

— South Dakota Searchlight

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South Dakota

Road closures in Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties: What we know so far

Published

3 hours ago

June 21, 2024

Press Room

Road closures in Minnehaha and Lincoln Counties: What we know so far

As sections of Sioux Falls and Minnehaha and Lincoln county are put under ongoing flash flood warnings, flood warnings and flood watches, roads in Sioux Falls and the surrounding area are closing.

A flood watch is in effect through 7 a.m. Saturday for all of southeastern South Dakota, and a flood warning is currently in effect for the following areas until 7:30 a.m. Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls:

Portions of northwest Iowa, including the following counties, Clay, Dickinson, Lyon, O`Brien, Osceola and Sioux
Southwest Minnesota, including the following county, Nobles
And southeast South Dakota, including the following counties, Lincoln, Turner and Union

“Additional rainfall amounts of 1 to 4 inches are possible in the warned area over the next 24 hours,” the flood warning states. Heavier rain, with a risk of severe storms is expected after 5 p.m. Friday.

Locations that will experience flooding include: Sioux Falls, Sioux Center, Sheldon, Canton, Sibley, Rock Rapids, Beresford, Parker, Harrisburg, Tea, Rock Valley, Hull, Lennox, Sanborn, George, Centerville, Worthing, Larchwood, Inwood and Viborg.

Here’s what we know so far about area road closures.

Road Closures in Lincoln County:

The Lincoln County Highway Department says no travel is advised in Lincoln County due to flooding on roads.

Canton

The Canton Police Department says to avoid these roads. It’s working on compiling a full list of road closures.

North Cedar
4th Street
North Lincoln Street
3 to 4 miles north on North Dakota Street
North Bridge Street
Noid Road

Highway 18 has been opened back up, but the department says to proceed with caution.

Tea:

The Tea City Facebook says to avoid Gateway Boulevard when leaving or coming to Tea, as the road is down to one lane.

West of Canton and south of Worthing:

These roads are closed due to flooding until further notice, says South Dakota 511, the South Dakota Department of Transportation road conditions webpage:

South I-29 to SD-11 North
U.S 18 West Exit 59 to U.S 18 East Exit 62
0.25 miles north of SD-44 Exit 64 to US 18 West Exit 59

Road Closures in Minnehaha County:

The Minnehaha County Highway Department says multiple roads have begun to flood, and conditions are expected to become worse as the rain continues.

County Highway 121 (478th Avenue or Eros Road) is closed south of 252nd Street, according to the Minnehaha County Highway Department. NWS has reported standing water on I-29 south of Sioux Falls.

The Minnehaha County Sheriff’s Office posted photos from the intersection of 478th Avenue and 252nd Street and Hartford Turtle Creek Park, where the roads have completely flooded.

Sioux Falls:

These roads are closed according to a post on X from the City of Sioux Falls:

12th Street is closed from Sertoma Avenue to LaMesa Avenue
Madison Street is closed at LaMesa Avenue
Charger Circle south of 69th Street
41st Street at Cliff Avenue near Interstate 229

Lennox:

Road closed barricades are being placed at Boynton Avenue and Cherry, West 1st and Cleveland, and West 4th and Cleveland. Please proceed with caution, says the City of Lennox Facebook.

What to do if you encounter closed roads:

“If there’s any barricades up because the road is closed, don’t go across those,” said Tim Masters, a hydro-meteorological technician with the National Weather Service in Sioux Falls. “The water might be deeper than you think.”

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South Dakota

Heavy rains flood Mitchell, city officials urging residents to avoid travel

Published

10 hours ago

June 21, 2024

Press Room

Heavy rains flood Mitchell, city officials urging residents to avoid travel

MITCHELL — Heavy rains flooded Mitchell Thursday night, causing stranded vehicles on flooded roads and water seeping into local businesses.

The Department of Public Safety issued statements on social media late Thursday night advising residents to avoid travel.

The Mitchell Fire and Emergency Services Department were responding to numerous drivers stranded on flooded roads. City crews blocked off many roads amid the downpour.

Once again, the area along East Hackberry Street in central Mitchell with a history of drainage issues was hit hard. Multiple vehicles were submerged in standing water late Thursday night along East Hackberry Street.

Two vehicles are submerged in water Thursday night along East Hackberry Street and South Kimball Avenue near the Corn Palace Inn Motel. Heavy rains flooded the streets.

Sam Fosness / Republic

In the fall of 2019 when Mitchell received a record two-day rain storm that dropped 11 inches of rain, numerous businesses and homes along the East Hackberry Street and South Kimball Avenue area were submerged in standing water.

Portions of Interstate 90 surrounding the Mitchell area were also flooded Thursday night, as there were multiple reports of vehicles stranded on I-90.

Unofficial reports indicated Mitchell had received around 4 inches of rain as of Thursday night. The National Weather Service (NWS) of Sioux Falls is forecasting rain to continue falling in Mitchell well into the early morning hours on Friday, June 21.

Flash flood warnings remain in effect until Saturday morning, according to the NWS.

Sam Fosness joined the Mitchell Republic in May 2018. He was raised in Mitchell, S.D., and graduated from Mitchell High School. He continued his education at the University of South Dakota in Vermillion, where he graduated in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in English. During his time in college, Fosness worked as a news and sports reporter for The Volante newspaper.

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South Dakota

Sioux Falls Public Safety Campus holding SD Law Enforcement Academy

Published

17 hours ago

June 20, 2024

Press Room

Sioux Falls Public Safety Campus holding SD Law Enforcement Academy

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) – The Sioux Falls Public Safety Campus is now hosting the state’s Law Enforcement Academy.

The academy trains cadets in the 13-week basic certification course.

In the past, participants would have to travel to Pierre to partake in training.

“The instructors for this course of training is local law enforcement, so people actively doing the job here in Sioux Falls or the Sioux metro will be the instructors,” said Lt. Jessica Speckmeier.

Cadets will complete training in September and then return to their communities as state certified officers.

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