Former President Donald Trump’s campaign has strongly criticized President Joe Biden’s decision to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday.
The White House announced the visit on Monday, marking Biden’s first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border since January of last year. This move comes amid ongoing criticism from Republicans, who argue that the Biden administration has failed to adequately address the recent increase in migrants crossing into the U.S. In response, the White House and other Democrats have criticized Republicans for their refusal to support the bipartisan Senate bill, which included significant border security reforms.
According to Biden, the immigration system in the country has been broken for an extended period. He believes that the proposed bill will address and repair this issue.
“We aim to enhance the safety of our country, strengthen border security, ensure fair and humane treatment of individuals, all while upholding the principles of legal immigration that align with our nation’s values,” he emphasized.
According to data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), there was an increase in migrant encounters at the southern border during the 2023 fiscal year. The number of encounters surpassed 2.4 million, compared to approximately 1.7 million in 2021.
The White House announced that Biden is scheduled to visit Brownsville, Texas to engage with U.S. Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials, and local leaders. During his visit, he will emphasize the pressing importance of passing the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, which is regarded as the most robust and equitable package of reforms to fortify the border in recent history. Additionally, Biden will reiterate his plea to Congressional Republicans, urging them to put aside political considerations and allocate the necessary funding for additional U.S. Border Patrol agents, an increased number of asylum officers, advanced fentanyl detection technology, and more resources.
The upcoming trip to Brownsville, a city located on the Gulf Coast of Texas, will coincide with Trump’s visit to the southern border. Trump, who is currently the leading contender for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, is planning to deliver a speech near Eagle Pass, which is more than 300 miles away from Brownsville. This area has been a hotspot of tension between federal and state agents in recent weeks. In response to Biden’s visit, Trump’s presidential campaign issued a statement criticizing the move.
The White House was contacted by Newsweek via email on Monday afternoon for comment. Any responses obtained will be included in a future update to this story.
Democrats have recently criticized Trump for allegedly exerting his influence on GOP lawmakers in Congress, leading them to refuse support for the Senate border bill. They claim that the former president insisted on Republicans opposing any border deal that was not considered “perfect,” to give himself ammunition for campaigning against Biden’s border policies.