It has been over 100 days since Joe Biden’s inauguration into the White House as the 46th president of the United States of America. In the span of Biden’s presidency so far, a lot of changes have been made which anges from policy reversals, overturning Trump’s policies, to taking executive actions to further his own presidential agenda.
The first change, or changes, President Biden made after being inaugurated was signing 15 executive orders. The orders addressed issues such as immigration, economy, equity, and census. A specific executive order directed towards ethics required “executive branch appointees to sign an ethics pledge barring them from acting in personal interest and requiring them to uphold the independence of the Department of Justice,” ensuring that no hidden agendas are being held. Another action taken was a proclamation stopping the construction of the border wall, this was done by, “terminating the national emergency declaration,” which was being used to fund the creation of the border wall. Finally a memo focused on immigration was also declared , and this memo fortified DACA after “Trump’s efforts to undo protections for undocumented people brought into the country as children.” These three actions as well as many more were all implemented on January 20th, 2021, the day of Joe Biden’s inauguration.
Throughout Biden’s presidency, he has focused on a few core issues. These issues are the COVID-19 global pandemic, immigration, and economy. In terms of the Coronavirus, President Biden has introduced around 17 new orders in his first 100 days in office. Some examples are, reversing the United State’s withdrawal from the World Health Organization and instead creating a COVID-19 Response Coordinator who reports directly to Biden. Another being, launching a 100 days masking challenge; requiring masks to be worn in “airports and on certain modes of transportation, including many trains, airplanes, maritime vessels and intercity buses.” Specifically, expanding COVID-19 testing capacity and calling on the “Department of Education and HHS to provide guidance for safely reopening and operating schools, childcare providers and institutions of higher education.”
In terms of immigration, President Biden has done a lot of reversing of what former president Trump had put into place. Examples of legislation President Biden has reversed that was installed during the Trump presidency includes: policies banning refugees from key regions; a proclamation that limited legal immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic; an order which justified separating families at the border. Instead President Biden created a task force that advises Biden directly and gives recommendations on steps to reunite separated families, and more regarding immigration.
In regards to the economy, President Biden rescinded seven Trump administration actions that had “eased regulatory requirements, as well as actions that called for withholding funding from cities for allowing protests in support of Black Lives Matter, that imposed stricter work requirements to be eligible for federal welfare.” President Biden also closed loopholes and reduced waivers on the federal purchase of domestic goods; laid the foundation for $15 minimum wage; called for assistance on individuals struggling financially; extended the existing pause on student loan payments and interest for Americans with federal student loans until at least September 30, and much more.
Recently, President Biden has made Juneteenth a federal holiday, honoring the date of 19th, 1865. On that day slaves were told of their emancipation via Union Army Major General Gordon Ranger. Although President Abraham Lincoln had delivered the Emancipation Proclamation two years before then, slaves had still yet to be freed. Juneteenth has often been forgotten but is now being spoken of due to the “momentum generated by the Black Lives Matter movement.” Now, in 2021, President Biden signs the bill into a law, making Juneteenth the newest federal holiday to be introduced since Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 1983.
Only a couple months into his presidency, President Biden has made many significant changes. It is expected for him to continue moving forward, imposing various executive orders, policies, proclamations, and memos that he puts forth and to always work for the benefit the people that make up the United States of America.