For roughly three years, Republicans have called on Joe Biden to visit the southern border of the United States, and we've heard everything from excuses to why he can't go to claims that he's been there already.
Now that immigration has become a top concern among voters and Donald Trump has a formidable advantage in the polls on this issue, the Biden administration has suddenly decided to at least pretend that it's taking the issue seriously, even if they waited until more than seven million illegals have already come in. Joe Biden is now reportedly planning a visit to the border, and if the purpose of this shameless photo op couldn't be more transparent, he's planning to do it the very same day Trump has a border visit planned.
"President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will make dueling trips to the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas on Thursday after congressional talks on a deal to rein in illegal migration collapsed, according to people familiar with the plans," the Associated Press reported Monday. "The visits underscore the central role immigration is going to play in the 2024 presidential race."
Related: Biden Accidentally Admits That He Has the Power to Secure the Border
According to sources who spoke with the Associated Press, Biden is set to visit Brownsville, Texas, situated in the Rio Grande Valley, a region frequently marked by high volumes of border crossings, where he is scheduled to engage with border agents and emphasize the need for bipartisan legislation to solve the border crisis he started. It was previously reported that Biden was considering executive action to address the situation at the border, but it seems he's once again leaning on Congress to do something
Trump is planning to make his way to Eagle Pass, Texas, approximately 325 miles from Brownsville. Eagle Pass is identified as another focal point in the ongoing state-federal clash concerning border security.
It would be great to believe that Biden cares about the border, but it's obvious that he is only trying to appear proactive about the immigration issue in the hopes that it helps his campaign. Last month, a Harvard CAPS-Harris poll found immigration was the top concern of a plurality of voters (35%), narrowly surpassing inflation (32%).
The Biden administration has clearly taken note of what the polls are showing, and it's desperately trying to flip the script and blame Trump and Republicans for the border crisis, particularly after the failure of the bipartisan border deal. Polls show that Americans blame him for the crisis and trust Trump to fix it.
Does Biden really believe that a photo op at the border where he will inevitably blame Republicans for the crisis will work? The Border Patrol union is already panning the planned visit.
The union said in a statement:
Unfortunately, a visit by President Biden three years into his term and after repeatedly stating there is no crisis is too little, too late. Whether stating it himself or through WH Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, Biden has said he’s done everything he can to secure the border. If that was the truth, and it wasn’t, there would be no point in visiting the border now. But even if he were to put the proper policies in place at this late hour, he’d be doing it only to try to save his Presidency. And self-serving actions when time is winding down should always give Americans pause. Common sense dictates that as a lame duck, he’d revert back to his open border policies if re-elected. Biden is going to the border now solely to try to save himself. Border security should never be about politics, it should always be about the safety and security of this great nation and the American people.
This is going to fail as badly as his "Bidenomics" messaging because it's hard to convince people not to believe what is plainly in front of their eyes. Just as voters know that prices have skyrocketed under Biden, they also know that border crossings have risen. They can also see that he's done nothing about it.
Members of his own party have even called him out, as illegal immigrants have been causing problems for sanctuary cities that once professed to be a welcoming place for them are suddenly realizing that they don't have the resources to handle them and don't particularly care for the crime they brought with them.
This visit won't change anything. It will only draw attention to the fact that he allowed the crisis to happen in the first place.
