As President Joe Biden enjoys a New Year vacation with his family on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, a growing crisis at the southern border is fueling sharp criticism from Republican lawmakers.
According to a report by Fox News on Saturday, December 30, 2023, the ongoing discussions over how to address the record influx of illegal immigrants have intensified as border towns and sanctuary cities, such as New York City, grapple with the strain on their infrastructures.
Sources revealed to the media outlet that December 2023 has witnessed more than 276,000 migrant encounters, marking it as the highest month on record.
This surge has reignited the debate on immigration policies, with Republicans pointing fingers at the Biden administration for what they perceive as a lack of action and a failure to uphold border security.
“President Biden’s entire presidency has been a vacation from reality — 760,000 illegal immigrants have been encountered at the border since October,” asserted Rep. Gary Palmer, R-Ala., chairman of the House GOP Policy Committee.
He accused Biden of intentional negligence, suggesting that the president has no inclination to halt the influx of illegal immigrants and is choosing to vacation while the border situation worsens.
“President Biden has no desire to stop it. He will continue to vacation while the border burns because this is the outcome he wants,” he told Fox News Digital.
Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, echoed these sentiments, highlighting the urgency for the administration to address the crisis.
“President Biden’s dereliction of duty is on full display while he sits on the beach and ignores the thousands of illegal immigrants invading our country daily,” Weber remarked.
He warned that without immediate action, the fabric of America would be unrecognizable.
Rep. August Pfluger, R-Texas, emphasized the severity of the situation, suggesting that Biden may not fully grasp the gravity of the problem while lounging on the beaches of St. Croix.
“Texans are enduring some of the highest numbers of illegal crossings on record while the White House and Senate Democrats refuse to take action,” Pfluger expressed.
The media outlet reported that the numbers tell a grim story, with over 760,000 migrant encounters at the southern border since the start of the new fiscal year on October 1.
This staggering figure makes the first quarter of fiscal 2024 the highest on record. Simultaneously, there have been 82,000 known getaways, further highlighting the complex challenges faced by border enforcement agencies.
Republicans have been quick to attribute the surge to the Biden administration’s policies, particularly the discontinuation of Trump-era measures. They argue that the lax approach to immigration enforcement has emboldened illegal crossings.
On the other hand, the administration contends that it is grappling with a broader hemisphere-wide challenge and insists on the necessity of additional funding and immigration reform legislation from Congress.
Rep. Mark Alford, R-Texas, voiced his discontent, stating that Biden and his officials “should be ashamed” of the current state of the U.S. migrant crisis.
He criticized President Biden for prioritizing vacations over finding lasting solutions.
“Every month, we continue to see record-breaking encounters at our southern border. Instead of pursuing solutions, Joe Biden is spending time on vacation,” Alford lamented.
