In a rare move, President Joe Biden is scheduled to visit the US-Mexico border on Thursday, coinciding with a similar visit by his potential 2024 election rival, former President Donald Trump. The timing of these visits underscores the ongoing political battle over immigration policy, with Trump using Biden’s approach to illegal immigration as a cornerstone of his potential reelection campaign.
Trump is slated to deliver remarks at Eagle Pass, as per a source privy to his plans. Meanwhile, Biden’s itinerary includes meeting with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials, and local leaders in Brownsville to discuss the necessity of a border agreement, a White House official revealed. The two locations are approximately 300 miles apart.
Biden’s visit comes amidst contemplation of a broad executive action that could limit the ability of migrants to seek asylum at the US southern border if they crossed illegally. The President has been vocal in his criticism of congressional Republicans for their failure to pass a bipartisan spending package, which included substantial concessions on border policy. This failure, largely attributed to opposition from Trump, has been a significant setback for Biden, who has been consistently criticized by the GOP for his handling of the border situation.
Trump, on the other hand, has been leveraging the border issue as a political weapon against Biden. His plans include a massive expansion of his administration’s immigration policies, aiming to restrict both legal and illegal immigration. These plans involve detaining undocumented immigrants in camps pending deportation. Trump’s proposed policies have been labeled as “un-American,” “inhumane,” and “draconian” by Biden’s campaign.
However, some of Biden’s potential executive actions have drawn parallels to controversial measures taken by Trump during his presidency. In an attempt to push the failed immigration bill, Biden suggested he might consider closing the border.
The Biden administration has also taken other measures to tighten asylum at the US-Mexico border. Last year, a regulation was released that largely barred migrants who traveled through other countries to reach the US southern border from applying for asylum in the United States, marking a significant shift from longstanding protocol.
Additional reporting for this story was provided by CNN’s Kate Sullivan.