White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre criticized former President Trump and Republicans in Congress regarding the Senate border bill ahead of President Biden’s upcoming trip to Texas.
While traveling aboard Air Force One to New York City, Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden intends to spend his visit to Brownsville, Texas, on Thursday engaging directly with Border Patrol agents to understand their needs for securing the U.S.-Mexico border.
The timing of Biden’s trip coincides with Trump’s scheduled appearance at the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, a fact emphasized by the White House upon announcing Biden’s visit.
Jean-Pierre emphasized the bipartisan nature of the border supplemental bill passed by the Senate with a 70-29 majority and urged for its consideration in the House. She highlighted that despite bipartisan support and backing from the Border Patrol union, Republicans rejected the proposal, citing lingering associations with the previous administration.
Trump (Credits: Barron’s)
Brownsville, situated within the Rio Grande Valley sector, has experienced relatively low levels of illegal crossings in recent months, averaging between 200-400 encounters per day across nine Border Patrol stations. Consequently, there is no risk of overcrowding at Border Patrol facilities during Biden’s visit.
According to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection source, there were only 318 encounters in the Rio Grande Valley sector on the preceding Sunday. In contrast, sectors in blue states like San Diego and Tucson witness significantly higher levels of illegal crossings, ranging from 1,000-2,000 daily.
Eagle Pass, where Trump plans to visit, has been embroiled in a standoff between Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the Biden administration, with Texas National Guard troops deployed to restrict access to areas experiencing a surge in illegal crossings.
Jean-Pierre addressed criticisms of Biden’s previous border visit in El Paso, stating that details regarding potential interactions with migrants during the upcoming visit are pending. She reiterated Biden’s focus on meeting frontline workers, including Border Patrol agents, to assess their needs firsthand.
Regarding potential executive actions to address the border crisis, Jean-Pierre redirected attention to Congress, emphasizing the necessity of bipartisan legislation to address systemic challenges and policy changes in immigration.
The White House characterized the Senate bipartisan border bill as comprehensive, providing funding for additional border agents, asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology, and other resources essential for border security.
