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President Joe Biden made his first visit to the U.S. southern border since taking office two years ago.
After seeing the conditions firsthand and speaking with U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers, Biden said: “They need a lot of resources. We’re going to get it for them.”
On Sunday, Jan. 8, Biden spent several hours touring the border in El Paso, Texas, which has become a major entry point for those wishing to enter the United States illegally. During the visit, Biden toured the El Paso County Migrant Services Center. He was also scheduled to meet with nonprofits and faith-based charitable organizations that help illegal immigrants when they arrive in the United States.
He met with border officers, observed demonstrations of how they search vehicles, toured parts of the city affected by the problem, and also viewed part of the border wall.
It was unclear if Biden spoke with any illegal border crossers.
The situation at the border has been a source of great contention. This was evidenced by Biden’s reception from Texas Gov. Greg Abbot. According to border officials, a record 2.2 million illegal immigrants were apprehended at the border in fiscal 2022, which ended Sept. 30.
Abbot gave Biden a letter that opened with, “Your visit to our southern border with Mexico today is $20 billion too late and two years too late.”
The letter lists five steps Abbott wants Biden to take to address illegal immigration.
