President Joe Biden stated in an interview on Tuesday that he and his administration are currently exploring whether he has the authority to independently close the U.S.'s southern border with Mexico to migrants, if necessary. Biden mentioned to Univision that bipartisan legislation that would have granted him this authority was stalled by Republicans in Congress, prompting him to consider taking action on his own.
"We're examining whether or not I have that power," Biden said, also noting that there is "no guarantee" of having such authority without legislative support.
Migration has become a central issue in this year's presidential campaign. Former President Donald Trump, Biden's likely Republican opponent in the November 5 election, has accused Biden of mishandling border issues.