Joe Biden signs new executive order expanding voting rights

A part of President Joe Biden’s election victory against Donald Trump was due to high turnout at the polls in response to Trump’s suppression efforts on mail-in voting. In commemoration of “Bloody Sunday,” Biden announced that he has signed an executive order that would expand voting rights.

Biden announced his plan to sign an executive order on voting rights during his recorded address on the 56th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” when 600 civil rights activists were beaten by state troopers as they marched for voting rights in Selma, Alabama. The order would direct federal agencies to implement measures to promote voting access. This is also in the wake of Congressional Democrats pushing for a sweeping voting and elections bill that serves as a response to state Republicans’ voter suppression efforts.

“Every eligible voter should be able to vote and have it counted,” said Biden during his address. “If you have the best ideas, you have nothing to hide. Let the people vote.”

The order has provisions that include the expansion of access to voter registration and election information, as well as calling on heads of federal agencies to draw up plans that would allow federal employees time off to vote or volunteer as nonpartisan poll workers. The order would also push for an overhaul of the government’s Vote.gov website. Congressional Democrats are currently attempting to shore up support for House Resolution 1 that would touch on practically every aspect of the electoral process. It was approved last week on near-party lines at 220 to 210.

In other related news, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas led Biden administration officials on a visit to the US border to Mexico over the weekend. This is in the wake of criticism from Republicans regarding a possible immigration crisis as the numbers of border crossings increase. The White House said last week that Biden instructed the officials to visit the border and to report back the influx of unaccompanied minors that are crossing the border. This coincides with the criticism towards Biden by activists, citing that the administration is detaining migrant children and families in centers for an extended period of time as their asylum applications are being reviewed.