Under mounting political pressure due to the migrant influx at the southern border, President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Tuesday to temporarily halt asylum requests once daily encounters exceed 2,500.

The threshold has already been met, so the shutdown is effective immediately.

The border will reopen when daily encounters drop to 1,500. The order, under sections 212(f) and 215(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, suspends entry for noncitizens crossing unlawfully.

Migrants without a “credible fear” will be swiftly removed unless they meet exceptional circumstances, NBC News has reported.

The White House informed lawmakers of the decision on Monday, and Biden announced it publicly in a White House speech alongside border town mayors.

Written by B.C. Begley