Both apparent 2024 presidential nominees appeared at separate places along the Mexican border Thursday, with Joe Biden calling on Donald Trump to urge Congress to pass a previously defeated controversial immigration bill.
“It’s long past time to act,” said President Biden, regarding the legislation sidetracked due to influence by former President Trump, NBC reported.
[i]“I understand my predecessor is in Eagle Pass today,” Biden said in Brownsville, another Texas city about 300 miles to the southeast, according to ABC News.
“What I would say to Mr. Trump, instead of playing policy with this issue, instead of telling members of Congress to block this legislation, join me, or I’ll join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill.
“We can do it together,” Biden continued in his message aimed at Trump. “You know and I know it’s the toughest, most efficient, most effective border security bill this country’s ever seen.”
Biden challenged the U.S. Senate to “set politics aside” and for Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) to get the bill in the House, NBC said.
“We need to act,” according to Biden.
Will Trump secure the border as president?
Trump’s response came from a statement by his national press secretary, Karoline Leavitt — “Instead of shifting the blame on everyone but himself, Joe Biden should take responsibility for the border crisis, deaths, and destruction that his policies have caused.”
Regarding the 22-year-old Georgia nursing student murdered allegedly by an illegal immigrant, Leavitt made reference to Biden — “Say Laken Riley’s name and use his executive power to shut the border down today.”
Trump said that he had spoken to Riley’s parents Wednesday. “They’re incredible people that are devastated beyond belief,” he said.
Trump described the border issue as a “Joe Biden invasion” that was a “vicious violation to our country,” NBC reported.
On Feb. 7, the Senate defeated 50-49 the border bill which was joined to a military aid package for Ukraine and Israel.
Objection by Trump and other Republicans stemmed from a provision to allow 5,000 immigrants a day into the country before the border was shut down.
The House never considered the bill, Speaker Mike Johnson declaring it “dead on arrival.”
Biden’s trip to Brownsville — his second to the border since becoming president — received criticism because real border violations are instead at Eagle Pass and in Arizona, NBC reported.
Trump — who has made repeated trips to the border — joked about Biden’s venture. “Well, we found out how to get him off his a**. It took me announcing that I’m going down to the border.”
But White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden’s trip had been planned in advance.
Several administration officials indicated Biden’s trip was to bring into focus border issues prior to next week’s State of the Union speech.
