Biden, in Texas, urges Congress to pass stalled border bill
- President Joe Biden making second trip to southern border
- Biden went to Brownsville, Texas, where crossings have dropped
- His administration has faced criticism for immigration policy
President Joe Biden walks toward Marine One on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, for a short trip to Andrews Air Force Base, Md., and then on to Brownsville, Texas. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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(NewsNation) — President Joe Biden, during a visit to the southern border of Texas Thursday afternoon, said it’s time for lawmakers to pass a bipartisan immigration deal that was blocked by Senate Republicans earlier this month.
“It’s long past time to act,” Biden said. “I just received a briefing from the Border Patrol at the border, as well as immigration enforcement, asylum officers. And they’re all doing incredible work under really tough conditions.”
However, Biden said that as the number of migrants crossing “overwhelms the border,” officials working in the area need more resources.
“Folks, the bipartisan border security deal is a win for the American people,” Biden said. “It’s a win for the people of Texas, and it’s fair for those who legitimately have a right to come here to begin with.”
GOP senators against the border legislation criticized it for not going far enough in their opinion. Calling the bill “truly bipartisan,” Biden said he didn’t get everything he wanted in it, either.
“Neither did anybody else,” Biden said. “Compromise is part of the process. That’s how democracy works. That’s how it’s supposed to work.”
Immigration has taken center stage in the political world as the 2024 election looms and border officials report record migrant encounters. According to the Border Patrol chief, there have been more than 120,000 “gotaways” tracked since the fiscal year started Oct. 1.
Brownsville, where Biden was Thursday, has been described as the exception to issues currently seen on the border. Once one of the busiest areas, Brownsville has recently seen a sharp drop in illegal crossings. The president touted federal investments in infrastructure as part of the reason why.
It’s a stark contrast to the Eagle Pass area about 300 miles away, where former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s 2024 front-runner for the general election, was Thursday. While the Eagle Pass sector saw close to 600 migrant encounters Monday, Brownsville had zero that same day.
This trip marks Biden’s second to the U.S.-Mexico border as commander-in-chief.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
