WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Biden administration continues to come under fire for its handling of a migrant surge at the country’s southern border.
Republicans are blaming the president’s words and new policies for the spike.
“The Biden administration wants to hide from the crisis that is unfolding on the southern border,” Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said.
The administration says it is working on multiple plans to address the issue. That includes the opening of new holding facilities near the border to house the overwhelming surge of thousands of unaccompanied minors and a new social media campaign to encourage people not to travel to the border.
For the first time in months, photos were released to the media showing the conditions inside a border facility holding hundreds of unaccompanied minors.
On the Senate floor on Monday, Texas Republican Sen. John Cornyn and Ohio Republican Sen. Rob Portman said the Biden administration’s decision to reverse Trump-era immigration policies caused the massive immigration surge.
“There’s simply no reason the administration should’ve have been caught flat-footed through all the president campaigned on promises of policies that were sure to lead to this very situation,” Cornyn said.
“I’m worried about the well-being of these kids,” Portman said.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki called on those seeking refuge to stay put as the administration works to repair the situation, saying this is not the time to travel.
“Our focus now is on putting in place solutions,” Psaki said Monday. “Expediting processing at the border, opening up additional facilities.”
Vice President Kamala Harris says the previous administration’s policies are to blame for the problem.
“We expect to have success but it’s going to take a lot of work,” Harris said.
On Sunday, Biden said he is aware of the conditions at the border and will make a trip there but did not specify when that would happen.
Seventeen Republican senators say they will also be taking a trip to the border to see conditions on the ground for themselves.
