Recently, the White House confirmed that the government won’t be requiring Covid-19 vaccines for people who illegally cross the US-Mexico border – despite President Biden’s new vaccine mandates for about two-thirds of US workers.

In a press briefing on Friday 10th September, Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked: “It is a requirement for people at a business with more than 100 people. It is not a requirement for migrants at the southern border. Why?”

In response, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, simply replied: “That’s correct.”

The new vaccine mandate introduced by President Biden means that federal workers and contractors, employees of private companies of 100 or more people, health care workers and some teachers must be vaccinated to be able to go to work.

Psaki said that some of these requirements “are the next lever needed to get more people vaccinated.”

According to the New York Post, in July, more than 212,000 people illegally crossed the southern border, exceeding the more than 180,000 people apprehended in both May and June. Unaccompanied children and some families are permitted to stay in the US, however, most single adults are deported under a Trump administration Covid-19 policy.

Biden’s recent vaccine mandate applies to an estimated 100 million Americans. Most federal workers and contractors must comply with the mandate unless they are exempt for medical or religious reasons. Additionally, a new Labor Department rule will require companies and organisations with 100 or more workers to either impost a vaccine mandate or ensure staff perform weekly Covid tests.

Businesses that fail to comply with the new requirements will face fines of up to $13,600 per violation. The White House is encouraging businesses to choose the “more cost-effective” option of requiring workers to be vaccinated, rather than facing the cost of weekly testing.

Despite mandates being introduced to encourage more Americans to get vaccinated, a recent ABC News/Washington Post poll found that among those who said they would refuse the vaccine, 42 per cent said they would rather quit their job than get the jab.

In addition to the mandate on US workers, Biden also announced that health care workers and some teachers must get vaccinated or face losing their job.

Whilst these mandates have been put in place, many Americans continue to refuse to get the jab and some businesses are refusing to comply with the rules.