On Sunday, Joe Biden will make his first trip to the U.S.-Mexico border as president, visiting El Paso, Texas, according to The Associated Press.
The visit, which is set to take place in El Paso, Texas, will allow Biden to assess the situation at the border for himself.
This move is also seen as an attempt to quell political noise surrounding the issue of border security and to blunt the impact of forthcoming investigations into immigration that have been promised by House Republicans.
During his visit, Biden is expected to meet with border officials to discuss the issue of migration, as well as the increasing trafficking of synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl, which have contributed to a rising number of drug overdoses in the U.S.
“The president’s very much looking forward to seeing for himself firsthand what the border security situation looks like,” said John Kirby, White House national security spokesman. “This is something that he wanted to see for himself.”
In addition to meeting with border officials, Biden is also set to visit the El Paso County Migrant Services Center and speak with non-profit organizations and religious groups that support migrants arriving in the U.S. It is not currently clear whether Biden will have the opportunity to speak with any migrants during his visit.
Following his time in El Paso, Biden will travel to Mexico City to participate in a North American leaders summit with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.
Immigration is set to be on the agenda for this summit.
While Biden has had a long career in public service and has traveled extensively, he has not spent a significant amount of time at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The only recorded visit to the region by the president was a brief drive-by during his campaign for president in 2008.
Vice President Kamala Harris visited El Paso in 2021, but her trip was criticized for largely avoiding the current hub of illegal crossings.
In contrast, former President Donald Trump, who made hardening immigration a key focus of his administration, visited the border on multiple occasions.
During one such visit, Trump toured a small border station to inspect cash and drugs that had been confiscated by agents.
During another trip to McAllen, Texas, Trump repeated his claim that Mexico would pay for the construction of a border wall.
