WASHINGTON. During his first year in office, President Joe Biden took action on a number of his key campaign promises, from rebuilding U.S. alliances globally to distributing vaccines in America and around the world.
But others remain under development or subject to congressional decision. This is especially true of his promises to reform the nation’s immigration system, which has placed Biden caught between the demands of his Democratic base and Hispanic voters and the realities of a sharp influx of migrants to the US.
See how Biden feels about some of his key promises as he wraps up his first year:
COVID-19
Achieve a semblance of normalcy by Christmas 2021
Broken. Delta, and later Omicron variants, set new records for infections, outbreaks of hospitalizations, business closures, and shortages across the country during the holiday season.
Give Americans 1 billion home tests
In progress. In December, Biden pledged to provide 500 million rapid tests amid a surge in the highly contagious omicron variant, and last week announced plans to distribute another 500 million tests. The distribution site launches on Wednesday.
Get 100 million Americans vaccinated in the first 100 days and vaccinate 70% of the world’s population against COVID by September 2022.
In progress. Biden surpassed the domestic vaccination goal, but only about 61% of the world’s population received one dose.
It is safe to reopen most K-8 schools and leave them open
Mostly done. Schools have largely returned to face-to-face instruction, but the surge in omicrons has led to closures and other issues in several school districts across the country.
Pass a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 legislative relief package
Made; The bill was passed in March last year. He also made good on his promise to provide the Americans with $2,000 in direct aid.
CLIMATE
Revoke permits to build the Keystone XL oil pipeline, protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, accede to the Paris Climate Agreement and adopt the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol to reduce harmful hydrofluorocarbons or HFCs.
Made.
Prohibit new oil and gas leases on federal lands and coastal waters.
Broken. The administration has proposed reforms to the national oil and gas leasing program but has not passed a complete ban.
ECONOMY
Reverse President Donald Trump’s 2017 corporate tax cut
Broken. Biden’s social and environmental spending package included higher taxes for corporations and the wealthy, but the bill is currently deadlocked in the Senate.
Suspend Federal Student Debt Payments
Made.
Order a US Supply Chain Survey
Made.
IMMIGRATION
Raise the maximum number of refugees to 125,000, up from the 15,000 set by Trump.
Not close. In February, Biden signed an executive order to raise the limit on the number of refugees to 62,500.
Send humanitarian resources to the border and encourage public-private partnerships to combat rising migration there
Yes, but officials are still struggling to deal with the influx of migrants at the border. Biden signed an executive order asking officials to prepare plans for the use of humanitarian resources there. It has yet to establish new public-private partnerships.
US Asylum Reform
Incomplete. In February, Biden signed an executive order directing his officials to develop a strategy for migration, including refugees and asylum seekers, and although he promised last year to implement a new “humane” asylum system, no further details have come from the White House. And the Biden administration has continued Trump-era policies that allow customs and border officials to quickly expel migrants who enter the country without permission to avoid the spread of COVID-19.
Repeal Trump-era policies on travel restrictions for people from a number of Muslim-majority countries, funding and building a border wall, a provision preventing migrants from using government benefits, and one expansion of the criteria for deporting immigrants.
Made.
Simplify and improve the naturalization process for green card holders.
In progress. In February, Biden signed an executive order to improve the naturalization process, and the Department of Homeland Security has since repealed some of the Trump-era rules.
Repeal the family separation policy and create a task force to reunite families separated at the border.
Made. Biden signed executive orders to end the policy and create a family reunification task force. Only a few families have reunited so far due to the difficulty of finding parents.
Protect young immigrants smuggled into the US by their parents by restoring Obama-era policies that protect them and their families from deportation.
In progress. Secretary Alejandro Majorcas said in March that his agency is issuing a rule to “preserve and strengthen” a policy that would deprive young immigrants of priority from deportation, but the policy itself still faces challenges in court.
End the long-term detention of migrants and invest in a case management system to process people
Broken. No additional investment in case management systems has been announced. While the administration said in March it would try to release the parents and children within 72 hours of their arrival, officials acknowledged that hundreds of children have been held by border patrols for much longer. The administration is struggling with an increase in the number of unaccompanied minors arriving at the border and a lack of facilities to accommodate them.
DOMESTIC POLICY
Lift the military ban on transgender people
Made.
Establish a police supervisory board
Abandoned. The Biden administration decided to drop the idea based on the views of civil rights groups and police unions.
Direct the Attorney General to provide a list of recommendations for restructuring the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and other Justice Department agencies to better enforce gun laws.
Not yet.
Direct the FBI to release a report on delays in background checks on gun purchases
Not yet.
FOREIGN POLICY
“End the eternal wars in Afghanistan and the Middle East” and end US involvement in the civil war in Yemen.
Mixed. The US ended the 20-year war in Afghanistan in August, albeit in a bloody and chaotic way. However, in November the administration announced it would sell $650 million worth of air-to-air missiles to Saudi Arabia, a central player in the Yemeni conflict.
Putting human rights at the center of foreign policy
Mixed. Biden has repeatedly called on China to persecute democracy activists in Hong Kong and violate the human rights of Uyghurs and ethnic minorities. He also expressed concern about the imprisonment and treatment of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. He refused to hold Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman directly responsible for the murder of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi, despite U.S. intelligence showing Salman approved of the assassination.
Improve relations with allies who had a rocky relationship with Trump
Mixed. Biden has received praise from allies for his efforts to restore US leadership on climate issues. Indo-Pacific leaders are pleased with efforts to coordinate policy towards China. Biden acknowledged that his administration was facing a rollout of a deal to supply nuclear submarine technology to Australia, a move that derailed a $66 billion French deal and led Paris to temporarily recall its ambassador to Washington. His decision to proceed with the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan irritated some NATO allies, who sought to extend the mission to prevent a Taliban takeover.
Quickly join Iran nuclear deal if Tehran returns to agreement
Not done. Indirect talks have not failed, but White House hopes are fading.