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Biden turns one year in the White House: how many of his promises has he kept?

2022-01-19T18:43:03.631Z


The president made progress on some issues such as the distribution of vaccines and aid checks, but there are still records of COVID-19 cases. Immigration reform has not materialized, although there were some specific changes in Trump's policies.


The president, Joe Biden, will speak this Wednesday on the anniversary of his arrival at the White House in a speech in which he will render accounts and also reinforce his promises for the coming months. 

Biden focused his efforts during the past year on various commitments of his electoral campaign, such as the reconstruction of international alliances or the distribution of vaccines against the coronavirus in the United States and the rest of the world.

But there are other policies that remain stalled awaiting the approval of Congress or that are still in progress, particularly in the case of the promised immigration reform, through which 11 million undocumented immigrants hoped to obtain a path to citizenship.

Democratic plans to include it in the budget law and thus avoid Republican opposition foundered three times in 2021. 

These are the promises that were key in the campaign and what has become of them during Biden's first year.

COVID-19: halfway 

Biden hoped to be able to reach a certain normality for the holidays at the end of 2021, but the delta and omicron variables generated spikes in cases and hospitalizations and hit the economy. 


President Joe Biden removes his mask to speak about the COVID-19 pandemic, in an appearance from the East Room of the White House, on March 11, 2021 in Washington.Andrew Harnik / AP

What is on the way is the promise to send millions of home tests to homes and provide accessible vaccines for all: Biden reached the goal of providing 100 million doses in his first 100 days, but so far only 60% of the population is fully vaccinated.

The goal of safely reopening most schools was also partially achieved, though the rise of omicron has led to closures in a handful of school districts across the country.

A clear success was the approval of the $1.9 trillion legislative pandemic relief plan, with the fulfilled promise of sending $2,000 aid checks to citizens.

Immigration, point by point

Refugee limit.

He promised to increase the limit of refugees who can enter the country per year to 125,000 compared to the 15,000 established by former President Donald Trump, but he is not even close.

In February, he signed an executive order raising it to 62,500. 

More resources on the border.

Although there are more resources and public-private partnerships to manage migration on the southern border, his Administration has had problems with the wave of families seeking asylum that have crowded into some areas.

One of the most notable episodes was the persecution of Haitian immigrants in De El Río, Texas, by border agents on horseback. 

Immigrant arrests soar despite Biden's promise to reduce them

Dec 3, 202101:47

A “humane” asylum system

.

Biden directed his officials in February 2021 to establish an immigration strategy with a "humane" system.

However, his Administration has continued with a Trump-era policy that allows immigrants to be quickly removed as a measure against COVID-19.

Reverse Trump policies.

Biden did overturn measures by the former president such as travel restrictions for people from several Muslim-majority countries;

the financing and construction of the border wall;

the public charge rule;

and a criterion that broadens the criteria for deporting immigrants.

Streamlined green cards

.

Some progress has been made to improve the naturalization process, and the Department of Homeland Security has rolled back some Trump-era rules.

End the separation of families

.

Biden signed executive orders ending the policy of separating families at the border and establishing a task force focused on reunification. 

[“They left me thrown out”: three moments of the serious migration crisis of 2021 on the southern border of the US]

Protect DACA.

This promise is ongoing: Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said in March that he was preparing a rule to “preserve and strengthen” this policy, which would deprioritize young immigrants from deportation, but the program still faces lawsuits in court. .

The Government breaks off negotiations to compensate families separated at the border

Dec. 17, 202100:35

No more long detentions

.

There have been no announcements of additional investments in detained migrant case management systems.

While the Administration said in March that it would try to release parents and children within 72 hours of their arrival, officials acknowledged that the Border Patrol has held hundreds of children much longer.

Economy: tax cuts for the rich

The president promised to undo Trump's 2017 tax cuts for big business, but has failed to deliver.

Biden's social and environmental spending package did include tax hikes for businesses and the wealthy, but the bill is currently stalled in the Senate.

Biden did pause payments on federal student debt and called for an overhaul of supply chains, just as he had promised. 

Domestic and foreign policy

The president abandoned some domestic policy promises such as establishing a police oversight board, and has yet to finalize others such as firearms-related promises such as ordering the attorney general to deliver a list of recommendations to restructure the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and other Department of Justice agencies to better enforce gun laws.

[Why Biden's Executive Actions on Gun Control Aren't Enough]

In foreign policy, the United States ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan in August, albeit in a bloody and chaotic manner.

However, the administration announced in November that it would sell $650 million worth of air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, a central player in the Yemen conflict.

This is how the departure of US troops in Afghanistan was experienced this 2021

Dec 30, 202100:54

The promise to prioritize human rights in US actions internationally has been fulfilled in some cases.

Biden has repeatedly criticized China for targeting Hong Kong democracy activists and human rights abuses against Uyghurs and ethnic minorities.

He also expressed concern about the imprisonment and treatment of Russian opponent Alexei Navalny.

But he refused to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directly responsible for the murder of American journalist Jamal Khashoggi despite US intelligence showing Salman approved of the coup.

As for the improvement in ties with the country's allies, compliance is mixed.

Biden won praise from allies for his efforts to regain US leadership on climate issues.

But other cases were less successful.

His decision to go ahead with a US military withdrawal from Afghanistan angered some NATO allies who were seeking to extend the mission to prevent a Taliban takeover.

It has also failed to quickly rejoin the Iran nuclear deal.

The proxy talks have not collapsed, but the White House's hopes are fading.

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2022-01-19

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