In a major shift of stance on current immigration policy in the United States, American President Joe Biden on Tuesday issued an executive order preventing migrants from seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border whenever crossings surge.

The Biden-led administration has been heavily criticised by Republicans and some members of his own Democratic Party for lack of action concerning land immigration into the U.S., which has seen hundreds of thousands of migrants crossing into the country.

The executive order signed by Mr Biden, which is the strictest signed by any other modern-day Democrat president, will put restrictions on migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border once the seven-day average for illegal entries hits 2,500 per day.

Within minutes of signing the order, it immediately came into effect, as the threshold of 2,500 entries per day had already been exceeded. U.S. border officials can now return illegal migrants who crossed into the country to Mexico or their home countries within hours or days.

Mr Biden’s change of immigration policy came as the United States presidential election is drawing closer. The situation at the Southern borders will be a major determinant when Americans start voting for their next president.

It also echoes the Republican Party candidate in the upcoming election and former president Donald Trump’s several immigration policies whilst in office that put preventive measures in place to reduce illegal crossings into the U.S. from Mexico.