Biden and Trump both plan to visit US-Mexico border on same day

Joe Biden and Donald Trump are both set to visit the southern border on Thursday following the breakdown of congressional talks on immigration after the former president indicated his dislike of the proposed legislation.

“Biden will travel to Brownsville, Texas to meet with US Border Patrol agents, law enforcement officials and local leaders,” the White House said. “He will discuss the urgent need to pass the Senate bipartisan border security agreement, the toughest and fairest set of reforms to secure the border in decades.”

“He will reiterate his calls for Congressional Republicans to stop playing politics and to provide the funding needed for additional US Border Patrol agents, more asylum officers, fentanyl detection technology and more,” the administration added.

Mr Trump will visit the border more than 300 miles away from Mr Biden. The former president is set to speak in Eagle Pass, Texas, CNN reported last week.

Mr Biden’s first trip to the border as president came in January last year.

US President Joe Biden walks along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on January 8, 2023

Republicans, particularly Mr Trump, have been using immigration as a cudgel to attack the Biden administration – even going so far as to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.

More follows...