President Biden is traveling to the U.S.-Mexico border this week amid increasing pressure to address the migrant crisis.
His visit on Thursday, one week before his State of the Union address, is an attempt to draw a contrast with former President Trump, who will visit the border that same day.
Biden’s handling of the border is a political vulnerability, with polls showing most voters believe Trump would do a better job securing it.
Democratic governors recently pressed Biden to take more unilateral action on immigration.
While no new measures have been finalized, Biden has directed his team to find solutions that don’t require Congress.
During his trip, Biden will meet with border officials and advocates to call on Republicans to pass bipartisan border security legislation.
A Trump official reportedly said, “We welcome that split screen.”
Biden previously said, “Every day between now and November, the American people are going to know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends.”
Trump spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt wrote in a statement, “Biden’s last-minute, insincere attempt to chase President Trump to the border won’t cut it.”
A White House official said, “He will discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades.”
