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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador discuss migration in latest call

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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador discuss migration in latest call
ENT

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President Joe Biden, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador discuss migration in latest call

2024-04-30 05:11 Last Updated At:08:10

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden spoke with his Mexican counterpart, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, about cooperating on migration policy as the U.S. leader continues to deliberate whether to take executive action that would crack down on the number of migrants arriving at the southern U.S. border.

The call occurred on Sunday at Biden's request, López Obrador said during his daily news conference Monday in Mexico City. In a joint statement, Biden and López Obrador said the call centered on their joint efforts to “effectively manage” migration and “strengthen operational efficiency” on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We talk periodically,” López Obrador said. “I seek him out, he seeks me out, we chat.”

The joint statement said Biden and López Obrador have directed their national security aides to “immediately” put in place concrete measures to reduce the number of unauthorized border crossings. The policies would also protect human rights, according to the statement. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre would not elaborate what those new measures were, nor would officials from the National Security Council.

The Mexican leader said the two countries have made progress in controlling unauthorized migration by persuading many migrants not to use illegal methods to move from country to country. López Obrador also applauded a January decision by the U.S. Supreme Court that allowed Border Patrol agents to resume cutting razor wire that the state of Texas had installed along the border to try and deter migration.

Since the collapse of border legislation in Congress earlier this year, the White House has not ruled out Biden issuing an executive order on asylum rules to try and reduce the number of migrants arriving at the U.S. southern border. Any unilateral action would likely lean on a president's authority under Section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which offers broad powers to block entry of certain immigrants if doing so is deemed detrimental to the national interest.

Administration officials have been poring over various options for months, but Biden has made no decision on how to proceed with any executive actions. White House aides have also seen little immediate urgency for the president to take any action, considering the number of illegal border crossings have declined since a record high of 250,000 in December as Mexican officials stepped up their enforcement efforts.

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Verza reported from Mexico City.

President Joe Biden waves as he walks out of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 25, 2024, before departing on a trip to New York. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

President Joe Biden waves as he walks out of the White House in Washington, Thursday, April 25, 2024, before departing on a trip to New York. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark returned to the Indiana Fever's starting lineup for the second half against the Connecticut Sun on Monday night after missing the final 5 1/2 minutes of the first half with appeared to be a lower left leg injury.

She was hurt after running into a pick with 5:37 left in the first half and stayed down, grabbing toward her lower leg.

When play stopped, the No. 1 pick from Iowa grimaced as she got up and limped toward the team’s bench before going directly into the tunnel near the team bench. Clark returned to the bench a few minutes later, warmed up with her teammates at halftime and then returned to the game.

She had eight points on 2-of-8 shooting with one 3-pointer, two rebounds and no assists before leaving.

AP WNBA: https://apnews.com/hub/wnba-basketball

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) gestures after a three-point basket against the Connecticut Sun in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) gestures after a three-point basket against the Connecticut Sun in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) is helped to her feet by teammates forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) and center Temi Fagbenle (14) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) is helped to her feet by teammates forward Katie Lou Samuelson (33) and center Temi Fagbenle (14) in the first half of a WNBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) grimaces after being injured in the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) grimaces after being injured in the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis, Monday, May 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

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