President Joe Biden is planning to visit the southern border the same day as former President Donald Trump while concerns of the border crisis continue to grow, two people briefed on the plans told The New York Times.
Biden is set to make the trip down to Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday, for his second trip to the southern border during his presidency, two people briefed on the plans told the NYT. Trump is set to visit Eagle Pass, Texas, on Thursday and deliver remarks blaming Biden for the ongoing border crisis, a person close to the former president told the NYT. (RELATED: ‘Don’t Save Him’: Biden’s Botched Border Policy Reportedly Has Top Advisers At Each Other’s Throats)
On Thursday, Biden will go to Brownsville, Texas, to meet with Border Patrol agents, law enforcement and others to discuss the need to pass the bipartisan Senate border deal, according to a White House official.
— Jennifer Haberkorn (@jenhab) February 26, 2024
While the president recently admitted the border was not secure, Biden and his administration have repeatedly blamed Congressional Republicans for the ongoing migrant crisis. A supplemental funding package that would send aid to Ukraine, Israel and the nation’s border has stalled as lawmakers continue to negotiate border initiatives.
During his trip, the president is expected to meet with Border Patrol agents as well as law enforcement officials to discuss the ongoing negotiations in the Senate, a White House official told Politico and PBS News Hour.
December 2023 saw record highs at the southern border as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encountered more than 300,000 migrants, the highest crossings in a month on record. The number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border hit a new record in Janurary 2024, compared to the same month in all previous years. In January, Border Patrol recorded more than 176,000 migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to federal data.
.@reaganreese_: “Does Biden have any plans to visit the southern border before the election?”
KJP: “The president visited the border recently.”
Reagan: “In January (2023)”
KJP: “That was a year ago, he’s been there.” pic.twitter.com/4KlFVihKPK
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 22, 2024
Amid the record breaking numbers, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the president’s lack of plans to visit the border in January.
“Biden admitted Friday that the border isn’t secure. Does he have any plans to visit the southern border before the election?” the Daily Caller asked during a Jan. 22 White House press briefing
“The president visited the border recently,” Jean-Pierre said.
“In January [2023],” the Daily Caller followed up.
“Yep, that was a year ago. He’s been there,” the press secretary said.
Pointing to December 2023 record highs, the Daily Caller asked “how bad” the border crisis needs to be for the president to make another trip down.
“So, just to reiterate what I said seconds ago, the president has been to the border,” the press secretary said. “He’s visited the border. He saw for himself. He spoke to law enforcement. He saw exactly what goes on at the border. The president understands what’s going on at the border, which is why he included it in his national security supplemental — which is again a request when you feel like there’s an emergency, you make that supplemental request — which is what the president did. It included border security. It included obviously Ukraine and Israel, and it is incredibly important.”