White House Has New Designation
President Joe Biden is set to visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday in an effort to address the ongoing border crisis.
His choice of Brownsville, Texas for his visit has sparked criticism from Republicans, who argue that the area has seen relatively low numbers of migrant crossings compared to other areas in Texas. In preparation for his visit, the White House has released a fact sheet highlighting their support for a bipartisan border bill, which includes $1.4 billion for cities and states providing services to “newcomers.”
The language used by the White House to refer to illegal immigrants as “newcomers” has drawn swift condemnation from House Republicans. They argue that this term suggests equal status to migrants who have legally entered the country, and it demonstrates the Biden administration’s lack of seriousness in addressing the issue. The House GOP conference posted on X, stating that the border crisis is a “catastrophe by design.”
The Biden administration, however, has pushed back against these criticisms. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended their position, stating that the Republicans have been hindering their efforts to fix the broken immigration system. She also noted that President Biden had previously been to the border when he visited El Paso a year ago and put forth a comprehensive immigration policy on his first day in office.
The bipartisan border agreement, which President Biden has endorsed, seeks to increase Border Patrol staff, tighten asylum rules, and expand law enforcement’s authority to combat fentanyl smuggling. It also includes funding for cities and states receiving asylum seekers. However, Republicans argue that this bill would do little to stop illegal immigration and drug smuggling and would only normalize high levels of illegal immigration.
The ongoing border crisis has become a key point of contention between Democrats and Republicans. Recent polls have shown that just 26% of Americans approve of President Biden’s handling of immigration. Meanwhile, Republicans have been quick to criticize the administration’s lack of enforcement of immigration laws and have expressed concern about the impact of illegal immigration on border communities.
While President Biden’s visit to the border has been viewed as a response to these criticisms, some question the choice of Brownsville as the site for his visit. Data from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shows that Brownsville has had comparatively low numbers of migrant encounters, with just 46 in the past five days. This is in stark contrast to other areas in Texas, such as Eagle Pass, which had 2,106 encounters in the same time frame, averaging 462 per day in February.
Despite the low numbers in Brownsville, the White House has justified the president’s visit by stating that it is important for him to see different areas of the border and the impact of the crisis on border communities. However, the choice has also been seen as a strategic move to deflect criticism from President Biden’s handling of the crisis.
Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has announced that he will visit Eagle Pass on the same day as President Biden’s visit to Brownsville. This has been seen as a competing visit, as Eagle Pass is one of the most heavily trafficked areas in Texas and has been a focal point in the ongoing battle between Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Biden administration over enforcing immigration law.
Both visits demonstrate the ongoing divide in opinions and approaches to addressing the border crisis. While President Biden’s visit to Brownsville may be seen as a response to his critics, it remains to be seen what impact it will have on the ongoing situation at the border. As the debate over immigration continues, it is clear that finding a solution to the border crisis will require collaboration and cooperation from both parties.