President Biden heads to U.S.-Mexico border for 1st visit in office as criticism mounts over immigration policies


President Biden will visit the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday for the first time as commander-in-chief, allowing him to get a firsthand look at the ongoing migrant issues that have seemed to plague him since taking office.
The president is slated to visit El Paso, Texas, which The Associated Press noted is currently the largest corridor for illegal crossings on the southern border. While there, Biden will meet with border officials and migrants rights groups to discuss a range of issues. Among these will reportedly be the increased drug trafficking statistics at the border, along with the rising number of asylum seekers aiming to take refuge in the United States.
Republicans have had their sights laser-focused on the issues at the border, framing it as a "crisis" indicative of the Biden administration's failures. However, White House officials have continually pushed back against these assertions and recently announced a tranche of additional resources for the border. The administration also announced increased coordination for anti-drug smuggling operations.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In a likely attempt to appease Republicans, the president also recently announced that his administration would be expanding Title 42, a Trump-era pandemic immigration policy that allows the U.S. to expel asylum seekers in the interest of national health.
However, this decision drew criticism among human rights organizations and even some of Biden's Democratic allies. In response, Biden has called for congressional legislation in Title 42's place, saying, "If the most extreme Republicans continue to demagogue this issue, and reject solutions, I'm left with only one choice: To act on my own, do as much as I can on my own,"
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Denmark's 'pornographic' mermaid statue is in hot water
Under the Radar Town will reportedly remove voluptuous Big Mermaid, despite statue being 'arguably a bit less naked' than Copenhagen monument the Little Mermaid
-
August 10 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Sunday's political cartoons include a global plastics problem, GOP enthusiasm over tariffs, and more
-
5 thin-skinned cartoons about shooting the messenger
Cartoons Artists take on unfavorable weather, a look in the mirror, and more
-
Trump officials reinstating 2 Confederate monuments
Speed Read The administration has plans to 'restore Confederate names and symbols' discarded in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder
-
Trump nominates Powell critic for vacant Fed seat
speed read Stephen Miran, the chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and a fellow critic of Fed chair Jerome Powell, has been nominated to fill a seat on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war
-
House committee subpoenas Epstein files
Speed Read The House Oversight Committee has issued a subpoena to the Justice Department for its Jeffrey Epstein files with an Aug. 19 deadline
-
India rejects Trump threat over Russian oil
Speed Read The president said he would raise tariffs on India for buying and selling Russian oil
-
NY's Hochul vows response to Texas gerrymander
Speed Read Gov. Kathy Hochul has promised to play ball with redistricting that favors the Democrats
-
Texas Democrats exit state to block redistricting vote
Speed Read More than 51 legislators fled the state in protest of the GOP's plan to redraw congressional districts