Biden talks with Mexico's president

President Joe Biden held talks Friday with Mexico's President Andrés Manuel López Obrador as a looming deadline to lift COVID-related restrictions at the U.S. southern border magnified concerns over the administration's immigration policies and an increase in illegal border crossings.

The conversation — which lasted 52 minutes and touched on cooperation over migration, energy, security and economic growth — comes at the end of a tough week for the White House.

The administration faces mounting criticism over its plans to end so-called Title 42 authority, a public health order allowing border agents to expel asylum-seekers to Mexico. The policy was enacted during the Trump administration to curb the spread of COVID-19.

The Biden administration says the use of Title 42 was never intended to be permanent and the policy is being eased along with other pandemic-related restrictions.

“The majority of the conversation was about migration and was about continued work on coordination, economic coordination, on taking steps to reduce migration to the border, and they have been a partner in that over the last several months,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters at a press briefing following the call.

Psaki said the tone of the call was “constructive” but declined to say whether Biden asked López Obrador, frequently referred to by his initials AMLO, to increase Mexican troops at the border once Title 42 is lifted.

Earlier this week a federal judge halted the Department of Homeland Security's plans to suspend the order on May 23.