President Joe Biden plans to sign a directive modernizing the US immigration system on Tuesday, later than previously expected due to delays in confirming a new secretary for the Department of Homeland Security, the White House said on Friday.
Speaking to reporters at a news briefing, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also said that nominee Alejandro Mayorkas would head up a task force that seeks to reunite migrant families who were separated at the US-Mexico border by predecessor Donald Trump's immigration policies.
"On Tuesday, President Biden will deliver remarks and sign an executive order advancing his priority to modernize our immigration system," she told reporters. "The task force will be led by the Secretary of Homeland Security once he is confirmed," she added.
Biden, a Democrat, has vowed to reverse many policies put in place by former Republican President Trump, a process that could take months or years.