Feb. 29 (UPI) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump will both travel to the U.S.-Mexico border on Thursday amid a duel over border security policy ahead of the 2024 election.
The White House said Biden will travel to Brownsville, Texas, and meet with local leaders as well as Border Patrol agents, law enforcement personnel and frontline personnel to discuss a bipartisan measure that was killed in the Senate after Trump voiced his opposition.
The bill would add 1,500 new border patrol personnel, boost asylum officers by 4,300, increase Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds by 50,000, add funding for 100 additional immigration judges, and funds to install 100 drug inspection machines.
It would also include $1.4 billion for cities and states dealing with the influx of immigrants.
“It would make our country safer, make our border more secure and treat people more fairly and humanely while preserving legal immigration, consistent with our nation’s values,” the White House said, noting it had received support from the Border Patrol Union, the Chamber of Commerce, the South Texas Alliance of Cities and the Wall Street Journal.
Senate Republicans, however, balked on the measure, which had initially been tied to funding for Ukraine and Israel as Trump has publicly made it clear he wants immigration and border policy to remain at the forefront of the public’s mind as the election draws near.
Trump, who announced his visit before Biden, will visit Eagle Pass where Texas authorities have placed barriers next to the Rio Grande there to prevent border river crossings.
Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt accused Biden of making an “insincere attempt” to address the border because it has become a losing political issue for Democrats.
Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who has fought with the Biden administration on numerous issues, is expected to join Trump during his visit.
