5 takeaways from dueling Trump, Biden southern border trips

President Biden and former President Trump dueled across the southern border on Thursday, meeting with local officials at the same time and speaking in quick succession afterwards.

The split-screen moment between Biden and Trump, hours apart, offers the clearest preview yet of how the two countries will address the issue of immigration and compete on other issues in 2024. did.

Mr. Biden visited Brownsville, Texas, where he met with Border Patrol agents and Congressional Republicans who lined up behind Mr. Trump in opposition to the bipartisan Border Security Agreement, which was later scrapped from the large aid bill. criticized.

Meanwhile, Trump was joined by Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) and local law enforcement in Eagle Pass.

Here are five takeaways from my dueling journey.

2024 Election Preview

Thursday’s rival visit was a prelude to the general election campaign that will span the next eight months, with Biden and Trump scheduled to face off in November.

Fox News literally split screen footage of Biden talking with Border Patrol agents while Trump was briefed by governors and local police.

For President Trump, the border visit was more comfortable terrain. Since he ran for the White House in 2016, immigration enforcement has been part of his agenda and speeches. He has visited the border multiple times during his tenure, and polls show voters trust him more than Biden on immigration issues. and border security.

For Biden, it was a chance to try to flip the script on political responsibility. The president visited the border last year, but immigration is becoming a key election-year issue, and Democrats think it’s better for the president to confront it head-on than to ignore it.

“We hope this is just the beginning of many more visits to our region, not only in this presidential term, but in the next presidential term,” said Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (D-Texas). “There is,” he said.

blame game

Mr. Trump and Mr. Biden have both blamed the other on the southern border, which has seen record levels of anxiety in recent months and a backlog of cases as people await hearings.

For Mr. Trump and his allies, the surge in immigration and the recent spate of high-profile crimes involving immigrants were signs that Mr. Biden’s policies were failing.

“This is a Joe Biden invasion. This is a Biden invasion,” President Trump said, claiming that the United States is “overrun by Biden’s immigration crimes.” He specifically pointed to the death of University of Georgia student Laken Riley, who was murdered last week. Police charged a Venezuelan immigrant in the case.

Border Patrol Union President Brandon Judd said Biden’s policies “continue to entice people to come across the border.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden lamented that Mr. Trump discouraged Republicans from supporting a bipartisan border security bill that had the support of the Border Patrol, the Chamber of Commerce and the Wall Street Journal Editorial Board. Congressional Republicans lined up behind President Trump to block passage of the bill.

“The truth is, Donald Trump doesn’t want to secure the border,” Biden campaign manager Julie Chavez Rodriguez said in a statement. “He likes chaos and brutality. Because I’m confident in it.” “The last time he took office, his children were locked in cages, families were torn apart, and violent crime skyrocketed. It’s a bad bet — he’ll pay for it at the polls this November. You will have to pay.”

But at one point, Biden struck a different, more conciliatory tone as he sought a path forward.

“Today I understand that my predecessor was in Eagle Pass,” the president said. “So what I’m saying to Mr. Trump is, instead of playing politics with this issue, instead of telling your members of Congress to block this bill, please work with me, or I’ll help you too.” I will join with you in telling Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill.” we can do it together. ”

Eagle Pass vs. Brownsville

Trump chose to travel to Eagle Pass with Abbott to highlight the region experiencing an influx of migrants, which has become the epicenter of problems between state officials and the Biden administration.

The Eagle Pass border crossing has seen long lines of migrants, buses and razor wire, as well as state troopers entering the area, and a shortage of U.S. Border Patrol agents.

Earlier this year, Texas authorities blocked Border Patrol access to parts of Eagle Pass and took control of the riverside park. The Texas National Guard blocked civilians, city officials and Border Patrol agents from entering the park.

Mr. Abbott accused Mr. Biden of visiting a “sanitized area” and failing to clearly communicate the situation to the president.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday explained the president’s decision to visit Brownsville, saying the site offers “a very good glimpse into how dynamic and difficult the immigration phenomenon is.”

He said in April and May of 2023, about 30% of all border crossings were in the Rio Grande Valley region, which includes Brownsville. He said that number has now decreased because of increased law enforcement in Mexico.

Mayorkas added that Mexico has renewed its enforcement efforts because Biden met with Mexico’s president.

Impeached Mayorkas joins Biden

Mayorkas traveled from Washington, D.C., to Texas with Biden on Thursday, just two weeks after Biden was impeached by the House of Representatives over Republican opposition to border controls.

He flew with the president on Air Force One, spoke to reporters and was by Biden’s side throughout the visit and during his remarks.

“Congress has not yet provided us with the resources we need, but [the Department of Homeland Security] We will continue to enforce our laws and keep our borders secure,” Mayorkas said in Brownsville.

The House impeached Mayorkas by a narrow 214-213 vote on February 13 after an initial attempt failed. This is the first impeachment of a cabinet minister since the 1870s. The White House subsequently insisted that Mayorkas intended to proceed with business as usual and that the impeachment would not affect his work.

The Senate has now moved on from starting an impeachment trial after top Republican leaders Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Whip John Thune of South Dakota asked the Senate to hold a full trial earlier this week. However, an impeachment trial has not yet been held. Place it on the Senate calendar.

No administrative measures have been announced.

Biden did not use his visit to Texas to announce any unilateral measures to curb the flow of migrants at the border.

Biden has been torn over whether to take executive action over the handling of asylum claims at the southern border, a move that would alleviate some of his responsibility for the situation. But reports that Biden is considering that option have already angered progressives, and any such presidential action would likely face legal challenges.

During his visit, he avoided making any policy announcements and instead urged House Republicans to adopt a bipartisan border agreement negotiated by the Senate and approved by the White House.

On his way to Texas, Mayorkas suggested that Biden would not announce any new unilateral actions while in the state.

“No executive action will be announced today,” Mayorkas told reporters. “The law is what we need. It is a lasting solution. Acts done outside the law often face litigious issues in court.”