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More Democrats in Congress Call on Joe Biden to End His Reelection Bid

US President Joe Biden speaks during a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 July 2024. (EPA)
US President Joe Biden speaks during a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 July 2024. (EPA)
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More Democrats in Congress Call on Joe Biden to End His Reelection Bid

US President Joe Biden speaks during a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 July 2024. (EPA)
US President Joe Biden speaks during a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, USA, 10 July 2024. (EPA)

A growing number of Democrats in Congress are calling on Democratic President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid after the 81-year-old incumbent's halting debate performance against Republican rival Donald Trump.

While many lawmakers have expressed unease with Biden's continued candidacy - and others have steadfastly backed the incumbent's plans - here is a list of those who have publicly and directly called for Biden to not run again.

SENATOR PETER WELCH

"For the good of the country, I'm calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race," the senator from Vermont wrote in an opinion piece in the Washington Post. Welch was the first Democratic US senator to call on Biden to step aside as candidate.

REPRESENTATIVE PAT RYAN

"Joe Biden is a patriot but is no longer the best candidate to defeat Trump," Ryan, who flipped a Republican-held New York district in 2019, said in a social media post. "For the good of our country, I am asking Joe Biden to step aside - to deliver on his promise to be a bridge to a new generation of leaders."

REPRESENTATIVE MIKIE SHERRILL

"Because I know President Biden cares deeply about the future of our country, I am asking that he declare that he won’t run for reelection and will help lead us through a process toward a new nominee," Sherrill, of New Jersey, said in a statement.

REPRESENTATIVE ADAM SMITH

"President Biden should end his candidacy for a second term as President and release his delegates to the Democratic National Convention to enable the party to nominate a new candidate for President," Smith said in a statement. "The President’s performance in the debate was alarming to watch and the American people have made it clear they no longer see him as a credible candidate to serve four more years as President. Since the debate the President has not seriously addressed these concerns. This is unacceptable. The stakes are simply too high."

REPRESENTATIVE LLOYD DOGGETT

Doggett, a House member from a safe Democratic district in Texas, was the first congressional Democrat to call for Biden to step down.

"President Biden has continued to run substantially behind Democratic senators in key states and in most polls has trailed Donald Trump," Doggett said in a statement. "I had hoped that the debate would provide some momentum to change that. It did not."

REPRESENTATIVE RAUL GRIJALVA

Grijalva, a liberal who represents a district in southern Arizona along the border with Mexico, told the New York Times it was time for Biden to end his campaign, saying, "If he's the candidate, I'm going to support him, but I think that this is an opportunity to look elsewhere." Grijalva representatives did not respond to requests for comment.

REPRESENTATIVE SETH MOULTON

Moulton, a Democrat from Massachusetts, praised Biden's service to the country but told a local radio show that the president should follow in "George Washington's footsteps and step aside to let new leaders rise up and run against Donald Trump."

REPRESENTATIVE MIKE QUIGLEY

A moderate from Illinois, Quigley said Biden must step aside and "let someone else do this" or risk "utter catastrophe."

REPRESENTATIVE ANGIE CRAIG

Craig, whose district in Minnesota is considered a top priority for Republicans to win back in November, was the first incumbent from a highly competitive district to call for Biden to step down.

"Given what I saw and heard from the president during last week's debate in Atlanta, coupled with the lack of a forceful response from the president himself following that debate, I do not believe that the president can effectively campaign and win against Donald Trump," Craig said.

REPRESENTATIVE EARL BLUMENAUER

"The question before the country is whether the president should continue his candidacy for re-election. This is not just about extending his presidency but protecting democracy," Blumenauer said.

"While this is a decision for the president and the first lady, I hope they will come to the conclusion that I and others have: President Biden should not be the Democratic presidential nominee," he added.

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Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
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Syrians in Libya Struggle to Escape ‘Exile in Limbo’

A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum
A photo shows young Syrian men who drowned after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya. Credit: Rights activist Tarek Lamloum

About seven months ago, a group of 25 Syrian youths, including minors, set off from Libya on an irregular migration journey toward Europe. Only four made it back alive. The rest drowned in the Mediterranean.

The tragedy, which left a deep mark on Syrian communities both in Libya and abroad, has drawn renewed attention to the large and diverse Syrian population now living in the North African country, some fleeing the war in Syria under former President Bashar al-Assad, others settled there long before.

Syria’s presence in Libya is far from monolithic. It spans businessmen, migrant laborers, families who settled during the rule of Muammar Gaddafi, and former fighters now working as mercenaries. Many also see Libya as a temporary stop on the perilous path to Europe.

For most, Libya is not the destination but a gateway. The recent drowning of 21 Syrians in the Mediterranean was not an isolated tragedy, but part of a pattern of loss that has haunted the community for years.

Reports from local and international migration watchdogs have documented repeated drownings and arrests of Syrians at sea, with many captured by Libya’s coastguard and detained in overcrowded jails.

Despite the risks, many Syrians have managed to adapt to life in Libya, integrating into local communities and participating in its economy.

Yet numerous challenges persist, particularly for undocumented workers and those living without valid residency papers. Many report facing discrimination, abuse, and difficult working conditions.

As thousands of Syrian refugees across the Middle East prepare to return home amid improving conditions and relaxed restrictions, Syrians in Libya remain stuck, unable to stay, and unable to leave.

“We’re caught in the middle,” said one Syrian resident in Tripoli. “We can’t endure much longer, but we also can’t afford to go back.”

Many Syrians in Libya say they are increasingly vulnerable to exploitation, including passport confiscation and harassment by armed groups and criminal gangs operating with impunity.

Several Syrian residents told Asharq Al-Awsat they are facing rising unemployment, frequent kidnappings, and demands for ransom by militias. For those who now wish to return to Syria, doing so has become financially prohibitive due to hefty fines for visa violations.

Steep Penalties for Overstaying

Under a revised Libyan immigration law enacted on March 14, 2024, foreigners who overstay their visas or residency permits are charged 500 Libyan dinars - around $90 - per month. The regulation adds a significant burden for many Syrians whose legal documents have expired and who lack the resources to renew them or pay the fines required to exit the country legally.

Due to the political division in Libya since 2014, no official statistics exist on the number of foreign residents. However, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported in 2020 that approximately 14,500 Syrian refugees and asylum seekers were living in Libya.

Ten years after arriving in Libya, Ahmed Kamal Al-Fakhouri says he is now trapped, unable to afford life in the country or the high costs of leaving it.

“They’ve imposed fines on us that are beyond reason - nearly $1,500 per person,” said Fakhouri, a restaurant worker in Tripoli, echoing a growing outcry among Syrians in Libya burdened by mounting penalties and legal uncertainties. “Sometimes, I can’t even afford a day’s meal.”

Fakhouri fled Derna after the deadly floods of August 2023 and resettled in Tripoli.

“I saw death with my own eyes,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat, describing the trauma of losing his home. “Now we’re living in misery. We want the world to hear our voice - we want to go back to our country.”

Libya hosts thousands of Syrians, including doctors, engineers, university students, and day laborers who fill the country’s markets in search of work to support their families.

Yet many say they now find themselves stuck, facing visa penalties they can’t afford and no clear path home - even as the fall of Assad’s regime renews hopes for return.

“Exit Tax” Burdens Families

While Libya’s labor ministries have issued no formal statement on the matter, members of the Syrian community say they are being charged an "exit tax" calculated based on their overstay period. No official decree has been published, but testimonies suggest the fees are acting as a de facto barrier to departure.

Following Assad’s ouster, many Syrians are reconsidering return, describing exile as a “prison,” but are deterred by the financial burden of settling overstays.

Asharq Al-Awsat reached out to both of Libya’s rival labor ministries to clarify policies affecting Syrians and the reported fines for expired documents, but received no response.

Zekeriya Saadi, another Syrian living in Tripoli, has publicly called on authorities in both eastern and western Libya to cancel the exit tax and allow those wishing to return to Syria to do so.

“In these unbearable conditions, it’s unreasonable to ask refugees to pay such high fees just to leave the country,” he said. “This tax is a major obstacle, it exceeds our capacity, especially given our financial hardships.”

Saadi said most Syrians in Libya are low-income families without stable jobs. “Many are at risk of eviction, kidnapping, or exploitation. Leaving has become a matter of survival,” he said. “How can a displaced person be treated like a tourist or a wealthy expat?”

He urged Syria’s Foreign Ministry to take a clear stance and negotiate with Libyan authorities for fee exemptions and coordinated return efforts, while also working to protect Syrians who remain in the country.

Passport Problems Bar Education

Beyond financial barriers, expired passports are also stranding Syrians in legal limbo. Many have lost access to services, and the issue is now affecting the next generation.

According to Syrian media reports, education officials in Misrata barred at least 100 Syrian children from enrolling in public schools because their parents’ passports had expired, highlighting how bureaucratic obstacles are deepening the crisis for displaced families.