Credit Image: Reuters
U.S. President Joe Biden expressed on Tuesday that the bipartisan immigration bill is facing challenges due to political pressure from his Republican opponent, Donald Trump. Biden vowed to engage with voters directly to lay blame on Trump if the bill fails to advance.
Biden stated, "All indications are this bill won't even move forward to the Senate floor. Why? The simple reason: Donald Trump, because he thinks it's bad for him politically." Immigration concerns have become a prominent issue in the upcoming election, with Trump urging congressional Republicans to reject the bipartisan border security deal unveiled on Sunday.
The former president's spokesperson did not respond immediately to requests for comments. Biden's commitment to making Trump's opposition a central theme in his reelection campaign is a risky move, given polls indicating low approval for Biden's handling of border security and immigration.
Biden's approval rating dropped to 38% in January amid heightened immigration concerns, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. Facing record numbers of migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, Biden has been criticized by Republicans who argue that he should have retained Trump's restrictive policies.
Despite encounters averaging over 9,500 per day in December, U.S. government statistics show a significant decline in the past month. Biden plans to highlight Trump's role in obstructing a bipartisan compromise, emphasizing efforts to secure the border and fund related programs.
The $118 billion bill, including aid for Israel and Ukraine, is losing support in Congress. House Republicans consider it dead on arrival, while over 20 Republican senators find it insufficiently strict. Some Democrats also oppose the bill, citing concerns about its treatment of migrants.
While Biden did not address Democratic opposition, he blamed Republicans for succumbing to pressure from Trump, accusing the former president of intimidating lawmakers to vote against the proposal. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer similarly criticized Trump for preferring border chaos for political gain over Senate efforts to address the issue.
Paraphrasing text from "Reuters" all rights reserved by the original author.
