A co-chair of President Biden’s re-election campaign admitted that she is “afraid” of the effect the worsening border crisis could have on Biden’s re-election effort.
Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas, argues that Congress, and not the president, is to blame for the steady flow of hundreds of thousands of migrants across the U.S.-Mexico border each month. Immigration has been one of Biden’s least popular issues throughout his administration, but Escobar suggested to Politico that he is only being blamed because he is in the White House.
“It is our job,” she said, referring to Congress. “We have failed over and over again.”
“I do worry that Democrats will get blamed simply because the president is in the White House,” she added. When pressed about whether she fears Biden will face political consequences for the crisis, she responded, “I hope not, but I’m afraid of that.”
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Escobar’s comments come just after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation allowing state law enforcement to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally.
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At the signing ceremony, Abbott said the goal of Senate Bill 4 was to “stop the tidal wave of illegal entry into Texas.”
Once in custody, migrants could either agree to a Texas judge’s order to leave the U.S. or be prosecuted on misdemeanor charges of illegal entry. Migrants who do not comply could face arrest again under more serious felony charges.
Fiscal Year 2023 has seen an unprecedented spike in illegal immigration, with more than 2.4 million migrant encounters at the border.
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September saw a record for encounters at the southern border, and the following month saw a record for encounters in October, with more than 240,000 encounters border-wide.
Congress remains deadlocked over potential border legislation. Biden and fellow Democrats have refused to negotiate on the issue, leading Republicans to make Ukraine funding contingent on first addressing the crisis at home.
Fox News’ Bradford Betz contributed to this report.
