President Joe Biden arrived at the United State border in El Paso, Texas, on Sunday afternoon for the first time since he was elected president.
Biden has been heavily scrutinized for not visiting the border by his political opponents and some within his party, including Democratic-mayors of border towns.
Calls for Biden to travel to Texas also come as the growing number of migrants hits record highs and puts an overwhelming strain on federal and local resources.
On Sunday, Biden could be seen walking through the US Customs and Border Protection facility in El Paso while speaking with agents.
The president’s motorcade could be seen driving the highway that runs parallel to the Rio Grande and the border. On his way to the US Customs and Border Protection facility, the motorcade made a stop where Biden walked along the border fence with agents.
Even still, not everyone is on board with Biden's trip, as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) said that it was "two years and about $20 billion too late."
Biden shared his intentions to travel to El Paso late last week while he announced a new program that would see the US accept as many as 30,000 migrants per month from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
The trip to Texas won’t only see Biden meet with border officials. He is also scheduled to have his first sit down with Mexico’s president, Andrés Manuel Lopéz, where he is expected to discuss issues with migration.
Behind Biden's trip is his continued efforts to push Congress to pass legislation that would upgrade the nation’s immigration system.
He discussed the importance of doing so last week, saying it’s “important to step back and see the bigger picture,” adding that most migrants come to the US seeking the American Dream.
“We should all recognize that as long as America is the land of freedom and opportunity, people are going to try to come here,” Biden said. “And that’s what many of our ancestors did. And it’s no surprise that it’s happening again today. We can’t stop people from making the journey, but we can require them to come here in an orderly way.”
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