President Joe Biden said Tuesday in an interview with Univision that he is examining whether he has the “power” to close the U.S.-Mexico border.
Biden pre-taped an interview with Univision that aired on Tuesday night and covered topics such as the southern border, former President Donald Trump and forgiving student loan debt. On the topic of the border, the president said he and his administration are considering taking executive action on the southern border. (RELATED: White House Responds To Dramatic Border Video: It’s Trump’s Fault)
“Have you made a final decision on taking executive order in terms of what you want to do at the border, that includes the power to shut down the border, as it was suggested?” the Univision interviewer asked.
“Well I suggested that,” Biden responded. “We’re examining whether or not I have that power. I would have that power under the legislation.”
“When the border has over five, 5000 people a day trying to cross the border because you can’t manage it, slow it up. There’s no, there’s no guarantee that I have that power all by myself without legislation. And some have suggested I should just go ahead and try it. And if I get shut down by the court, I get shut down by the court. But we’re trying to work that, work through that right now,” Biden continued.
Ahead of the president’s comments on Univision, Politico reported that Biden’s aides had lost their urgency to take executive action on the border crisis. Biden was reportedly considering taking executive action in February in an effort to address the border crisis while Congress continued to debate a supplemental spending package that would send aid to Ukraine, Israel and the southern border.
“They’re in that pretty classic mode of, nothing is on fire right now,” an immigration policy advocate, given anonymity by the outlet to discuss private conversations about the administration’s border policy considerations, previously told Politico.
Biden previously admitted in January that the southern border was not secure just moments after he told reporters he had no idea why Republicans were moving to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas.
“I don’t get it,” Biden responded.
Moments later Heinrich asked Biden if he believes the border is secure.
“No, it’s not,” Biden responded.
“I haven’t believed that for the last 10 years,” the president continued. “And I’ve said it for the last 10 years. Give me the money.”
A few weeks later in January, the president then said he had exhausted all options in solving the border crisis.
“Have you done everything you can do with executive authority [on the border]?” a reporter asked Biden as he walked out to Marine One on the South Lawn on Jan. 30.
“I’ve done all I can do. Just give me the power. Give me the border patrol. Give me the people. The judges. Give me the people who can stop this and make it work right,” Biden responded.