First lady Jill Biden influenced President Joe Biden’s decision to reverse several border policies implemented by former President Donald Trump’s administration, White House advisers told The Wall Street Journal.
During his 2020 campaign, Biden became “particularly influenced” by his wife’s emotional response to several Trump policies, including his “Remain in Mexico” program, which denied U.S. entry while asylum claims were pending, White House advisers told the Wall Street Journal. Then, on Biden’s first day in office, he ended the “Remain in Mexico” program and paused the construction of Trump’s border wall. (RELATED: SCOTUS Rules Biden Can Scrap Signature Trump-Era Immigration Policy)
US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden walk to the White House upon arrival on the South Lawn in Washington, DC, August 26, 2023, following a week long vacation in Lake Tahoe, Nevada. (Photo by SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
Before Biden took office, Jill Biden had reportedly visited a migrant encampment in Matamoros, Mexico, just down from the southern border, the advisors told The Wall Street Journal. The first lady also reportedly had a strong emotional reaction to the contentious family separation policy that the Trump administration put in place.
Biden likely faces a rematch against Trump in the 2024 election. As the election inches closer, Biden fields growing concerns and criticism about his handling of the border crisis. During the fiscal year of 2022, U.S. Border Patrol encountered more than 2.2 million migrants crossing the southern border, according to Fox News. The 2023 fiscal year is already experiencing record highs as December encounters reportedly soared past 300,000.
U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden walk towards Marine One prior to a departure from the White House on November 28, 2023 in Washington, DC. The Bidens are travelling to Atlanta, Georgia to attend a tribute service for former first lady Rosalynn Carter, who passed away on November 19 at the age of 96. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The White House and congressional leaders are debating a supplemental package, which will send funds to Ukraine and Israel, as border security initiatives negotiations stall. Biden along with other key White House officials met with House Speaker Mike Johnson alongside other congressional leaders Wednesday to try to reach an agreement. Following the meeting, Johnson said the Ukraine funding may be “broken up” from the border funding. (RELATED: White House Claims Republicans Visiting The Border Are Actually Making The Crisis Worse)
WASHINGTON, DC – SEPTEMBER 2: U.S. President Joe Biden and First Lady Dr. Jill Biden depart the White House en route to Florida on September 2, 2023 in Washington, DC. The President and the first lady will be in Florida to tour storm-damaged communities impacted by Hurricane Idalia. (Photo by Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images)
“Well — Ukraine is leveraged to get [the] border [deal]. But to your point, they may indeed be broken up. We’ll see how it all develops. Again, the devil is going to be in the details on all these proposals,” Johnson told Fox News’ Laura Ingraham.