Former President Donald Trump on Friday attacked President Biden for what he described as a “spiraling tsunami” at the border, just as the government faces an increase in the families of migrants and unaccompanied children.
“Our border is now totally out of control thanks to Joe Biden’s disastrous leadership,” Trump said in a long statement. “Our great border patrol and ICE agents have been disrespected, demoted and ridiculed by the Biden administration. A massive foray into the country by people who shouldn’t be here is happening hourly, getting worse by the minute.”
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The 45th president referred to the recent release of migrants who tested positive for COVID-19 in South Texas. He also alluded to the tightening of inspection priorities for Immigration and Customs Inspection (ICE), by declaring that “internal inspection has ended.”
“The spiraling tsunami on the border is oppressing local communities, depleting budgets, filling up hospitals and taking jobs from legal American workers,” he said. “When I left office, we had reached the safest border in our country’s history. Under Biden, it will soon be worse, more dangerous and more out of control than ever. He violated his oath to defend our Constitution and enforce our laws. “
White House press secretary Jen Psaki responded to Trump’s statements on Friday.
“We have not followed our advice or advice from former President Trump on immigration policy, which has not only been inhumane, but ineffective for the past four years,” she said. “We will walk our own path and that includes treating children with humanity and respect and ensuring that they are safe when they cross our borders.”
Biden campaigned to end a series of Trump-era policies and began to do just that. He interrupted the construction of the border wall, ended the Protocols for the Protection of Migrants (MPP) – and discarded requests that ended with “take and release”. Separately, he and Congressional Democrats have already pushed for citizenship paths for illegal immigrants in the country.
The Protocols for the Protection of Migrants, known as the “Stay in Mexico” policy and discussed with Mexico as part of an agreement not to impose tariffs on the southern neighbor, were one of several agreements closed by Biden. He also ended cooperative asylum agreements (ACAs) with countries in the Northern Triangle that caused migrants to apply for asylum in those countries. These agreements were part of a series of policies that the Trump administration adopted to end the 2019 migration crisis.
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The Biden government said it is ending the Trump administration’s “cruelty” and replacing it with “an orderly, humane and safe immigration process”.
“We are not saying not to come. We are saying not to come now, because we will be able to deliver a safe and orderly process to them as quickly as possible,” said Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas this week.
But Trump attacked Biden for ending his diplomatic moves like the MPP with “the gross incompetence and radicalism of the people currently in charge”.
“The Rest Policy in Mexico was incredible, but immediately abandoned by Biden, probably because it worked so well. Likewise, our Third Safe Contracts in Central America were extraordinarily successful, so Biden also abandoned them foolishly,” he said.
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Trump’s comments came after he hit Biden at the border at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday – when he accused Biden of creating a “self-inflicted humanitarian and national security disaster”.
Trump is one of several Republicans who raise the alarm about the border crisis. House minority leader Kevin McCarthy requested a meeting with Biden on the crisis on Friday, while other Republicans wrote to Biden urging him to reinstate a Trump-era national security declaration.
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Trump on Friday asked the Biden government to “act immediately to end the border nightmare they have unleashed on our nation.”
“Keep China’s illegal immigration, crime and virus out of our country!” he said.
Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.