Speaking with the press on Tuesday morning, President Joe Biden said he has done "all I can do" as the standoff between Texas and the Biden administration continues.
"I've done all I can do. Just give me the power. Give me the border patrol. Give me the people. The judges. Give me the people who can stop this and make it work right," Biden told reporters.
Newsweek has reached out to Biden via email for comment.
Context
Biden continues to face bipartisan criticism over his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border as the country continues to experience a high number of migrant border crossings. There were more than 2.4 million encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border during the 2023 fiscal year, up from roughly 1.7 million in 2021, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data.
Republicans say the uptick in migrants is a direct result of Biden's border policies, which they say incentivize illegal immigration. Other experts say other factors including political and financial instability in some Central American countries drive migration to the U.S.
Immigration is among the top issues ahead of the 2024 presidential election with polls showing doubts over Biden's handling of the situation, on which Republican frontrunner Donald Trump has promised tougher action.
What We Know
Tensions associated with the handling of the escalating situation at the U.S.-Mexico border ramped up last week after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision that federal Border Patrol agents could remove razor wire and other barriers constructed along to border to curb immigration. Texas Governor Greg Abbott has vowed to continue to utilize the Texas National Guard to combat record numbers of migrant encounters, saying, "This is not over."
Biden has signaled that he's open to "massive changes" on border policy, asking Congress to embrace a bipartisan Senate deal that would pair border enforcement measures with aid to Ukraine to help in its ongoing war with Russia. In addition, he stated on Saturday at a political event in South Carolina that he would be willing to close the U.S.-Mexico border if lawmakers would only send him a bill to sign.
Views
Republican Representative Lauren Boebert of Colorado criticized Biden over his comments on Tuesday stating on X, formerly Twitter: "Biden said he has done all he can do on the border. Really?How is it that President Trump was able to secure the border and Joe Biden isn't? It's not that he needs more power. He needs willpower."
Trump, previously weighed in on the increasing tensions in Texas as he said in a Truth Social post, "All Americans should support the commonsense measures by Texas authorities to protect the Safety, Security, and Sovereignty of Texas."
Some Democrats, including Rep. Joaquin Castro of Texas and former Congressman Beto O'Rourke have urged Biden to federalize Texas' National Guard to stop Abbott from defying the ruling.
"Abbott is using the Texas Guard to defy a Supreme Court ruling. When Gov. Faubus did this in 1957, Eisenhower federalized the Arkansas Guard to ensure compliance with the law," O'Rourke posted on X on January 24. "Biden must follow this example of bold, decisive leadership to end this crisis before it gets worse."
What's Next?
While tensions over the border measures in Texas escalated as the federal government raised environmental and humanitarian concerns about the deterrent, Biden is seemingly embracing tougher measures, including shutting down the U.S.-Mexico border, marking a shift from his earlier messaging.
At a campaign event in South Carolina on Saturday, Biden said Democrats and Republicans are "making real progress" on a bill that would include new border security measures. House Speaker Mike Johnson has warned that the bill "could be dead on arrival" in his chamber.
"It would also give me, as president, the emergency authority to shut down the border until it can get back under control," Biden said at South Carolina's "First in the Nation" dinner. "If that bill were the law today, I'd shut down the border right now and fix it quickly."
Update: 1/30/24, 12:30 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Natalie Venegas is a Weekend Reporter at Newsweek based in New York. Her focus is reporting on education, social justice ... Read more
