Biden Likely To Visit US-Mexico Border For First Time Since Taking Office

President Joe Biden is headed to Mexico City next week, and he said Wednesday that he intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border during the trip.

According to The Wall Street Journal, he said that his team is "working out the details now." He said so after he was asked if he’ll be going to the border soon. Biden talked about the potential trip while interacting with journalists before boarding Air Force One in Kentucky. On Monday and Tuesday, Biden will attend the North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico City.

A source said that a final decision on whether to add the border visit has not been made, according to CNN. If he goes to the U.S.-Mexico border then it will be his first visit there since he took office. It's been nearly two years since Republicans have been criticizing his administration over the migrant crisis, reported CNBC. Politicians of the Grand Old Party have repeatedly ridiculed him for not visiting the southern border. They also said that the issue of migrants is a priority for his Presidency.

Biden's administration faced a legal setback on implementing its immigration policies when the Supreme Court decided in December 2022 that Title 42 will remain in effect for now. It's a Donald Trump-era immigration policy that lets authorities quickly expel asylum-seekers at the border. Biden's administration had sought to end that policy.

On Tuesday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre addressed Title 42. She said that the administration is advancing preparations for when the policy eventually lifts so that officials “manage the border in a secure orderly and humane way.” She added that to truly fix their "broken immigration system though, we need Congress to act." She noted that they saw Biden on his first day in office put forth a comprehensive "immigration policy, legislation." She shared that he did that to show how important this was, and "how much of a priority this was for him.”

A visit to the border would come as House Republicans are set to ramp up oversight of the Biden administration. Their particular focus is on the border.

On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged that the number of migrant encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border is "straining our system." But he stressed that the department is managing the situation.