 The US tightens security at the Capitol building for the presidential inauguration. (Photo: AP)
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The inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th US President will take place on Wednesday in the absence of out-going President Donald Trump, a snub unprecedented in US history, reflecting the deep division between the two leaders and their supporters.
The public is eager to see how Biden’s first steps will differ from his predecessor.
To reverse policies of the current administration
Ron Klain, Biden’s chief of staff, said in a memo to the press last Friday that on inaugural day, President Biden plans to sign executive orders to roll back some of the decisions of his predecessor, such as moving to rejoin the Paris climate accord (COP21) and ending Trump’s restrictions on immigration to the US from certain Muslim-majority countries.
Sources say the incoming President will announce an immigration bill called “Dreamers” that lays out an 8-year roadmap to citizenship for some 11 million people currently living in the United States. The bill will be a step toward realize Biden’s campaign promise to Latino voters and other immigrant communities to reverse Trump’s policies of migration restriction and deportation. During his campaign, Biden called Trumps’ actions on immigration an “unrelenting assault” on American values and promised he would undo the damage.
Jen Psaki, a spokeswoman for Biden, said the incoming administration plans to block Trump’s move to rescind coronavirus-related travel bans for foreign travelers arriving from the European Union, the UK and Brazil. In fact, Biden plans to strengthen public health measures around international travel in order to further slow the spread of COVID-19.
 The National Mall and Memorial Park is decorated for the presidential inauguration. |
Challenges
Joe Biden will have to tackle multiple domestic and international challenges, including election reform, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the worst US-China ties in decades.
Analysts say healing internal divisions will be Biden’s most challenging task. He has to win with his inaugural speech on January 20 despite the absence of the outgoing president, tight security following an assault on the Capitol building on January 6th, and millions of Republicans skeptical of the election result.
Biden’s administration will have to confront the COVID-19 pandemic, restore the US economy, renegotiate US-China ties, and deal with nuclear issues in Iran and North Korea.
At least Biden will have a Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and an evenly divided Senate with Vice-President Kamala Harris as its tie breaking vote.