President Biden on Saturday again refused to call the chaos plaguing America's southern border a crisis, insisting he was “pushing for fundamental change” in the region.
“I hope they respond,” Biden said of Congressional Republicans. “I've been pushing my Republican colleagues since I took office. I think we have to make big changes at the border.”
Senate negotiators remain at odds over border security measures related to the $106 billion bill, which also includes military aid to Ukraine and Israel.
Among the major concerns that remain are changes to the U.S. asylum system and immigration parole policy.
Earlier this week, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) Meeting with Mr. Biden They discussed border security and encouraged the use of executive authority to secure the southern border.
During the meeting, Johnson reiterated actions the Biden administration could take to secure the southern border, as previously disclosed in a Dec. 21 letter to the president, NBC News reported. Ta.
These include blocking illegal immigrants from crossing the border at ports of entry and fast-tracking agreements with other countries such as Canada to admit U.S. asylum seekers.
Although official numbers have not yet been released, at least 276,000 migrants encountered Customs and Border Protection agents along the U.S.-Mexico border in December. In fiscal year 2023, which ended Sept. 30, CBP recorded more than 2.4 million migrant encounters at the southern border.
