How long did Biden think he could get away with this?
President Joe Biden finds himself in the midst of heightened scrutiny, with Arizona’s Democratic governor, Katie Hobbs, adding her voice to the growing chorus of disapproval concerning the administration’s approach to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Bipartisan criticism is mounting over Biden’s management of the border, given the persistent surge in migrant crossings. Data from U.S. Customs and Border Protection reveals over 2.475 million encounters at the southern border in the fiscal year 2023, marking an increase from approximately 2.378 million in fiscal year 2022. A significant portion of these migrants has been transported from Texas to Democratic-controlled “sanctuary cities,” intensifying Democratic discontent as the President strives to allay immigration concerns leading up to the 2024 election.
Governor Katie Hobbs, elected in 2022, joined the ranks of Democrats expressing unease about the U.S.-Mexico border. She criticized the Biden administration for not adequately allocating resources to address the border situation and, in response, signed an executive order deploying National Guard members to support law enforcement at the southern border.
“We can’t stand alone,” Hobbs emphasized. “Arizona needs resources and manpower to reopen the Lukeville crossing, manage the flow of migrants, and maintain a secure, orderly, and humane border. Despite continued requests for assistance, the Biden administration has refused to deliver desperately needed resources to Arizona’s border.”
The National Guard deployment will encompass areas such as Lukeville in San Miguel, focusing on fentanyl interdiction, analytical support, and combatting human trafficking. The specific number of National Guard troops to be dispatched remains undisclosed.
In the 2020 presidential election, Biden narrowly secured victory in Arizona by a mere 0.3 percentage points, turning a traditionally Republican state into a competitive battleground due to demographic shifts. With immigration emerging as a pivotal issue in the upcoming election, Democrats, including New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Senator Joe Manchin, have begun openly criticizing Biden’s handling of the border situation, with polls indicating a decline in support.
The Morning Consult-Bloomberg poll conducted from November 27 to December 6 highlighted Biden’s trailing position in Arizona. In a head-to-head matchup, Trump garnered 46 percent support compared to Biden’s 42 percent among 796 registered voters, with a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points.
The critique extends beyond Democratic circles, as Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s actions, busing migrants into Democratic-run cities, have prompted objections from local officials grappling with the challenges posed by the influx. Progressive Democrats, meanwhile, are cautioning against concessions to Republicans in border security negotiations.
As the pressure builds on multiple fronts, the Biden administration faces the complex task of balancing border security, public sentiment, and party unity. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently defended Biden’s stance, pointing out that he introduced immigration legislation nearly three years ago and attributing the current impasse to Republican reluctance to engage constructively on the issue.