Biden ripped for brushing off border visit: 'Shocking statement'
‘Outnumbered’ panel discusses President Biden’s response to Fox News that ‘there are more important things’ than visiting the southern border
Critics slammed President Biden on Tuesday after he claimed there were "more important things going on" in response to a question about why he wasn't visiting the southern border during his trip to Arizona.
Fox News' Peter Doocy asked the president why he was not planning to visit the border while in the state to tour a semiconductor manufacturing plant in Phoenix.
"Because there are more important things going on," Biden responded. "They’re going to invest billions of dollars in a new enterprise."
Biden's comments were criticized on Twitter.
US President Joe Biden leaves Holy Trinity Catholic Church before attending the Phoenix Awards Dinner in Washington, D.C., US, on Saturday, Oct. 1, 2022. Photographer: Samuel Corum/Bloomberg via Getty Images
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"Tell that to the Border Patrol," The Heritage Foundation's John Cooper said.
The Border Patrol Union reacted to the news as well and made a comparison to the president visiting an ice cream shop.
"Visiting an ice cream shop: Very important," they wrote. "Visiting our border, where illegal immigration, deaths, escapes and fentanyl smuggling set new records non-stop with thousands dying as a result: Not important."
Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-TX., listed several concerns about the southern border and said that it didn't land on Biden's "priority" list.
President Biden speaks during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Monday that the president did not plan to visit the border during his trip.
"He’ll be visiting TSMC, a company making a major investment to manufacture cutting edge chips in Phoenix. This will bring new jobs and economic opportunity to Arizona," Jean-Pierre said during a press conference. "And it’s in large part thanks to the Chips and Science Act."
The House Oversight Committee Republicans asked "the worst border crisis in U.S. history isn't important enough?"
"Committee Republicans have seen the border firsthand. It is a national security and humanitarian disaster," they wrote in response to a clip of the comments.
House Judiciary Republicans also reacted to the comments and asked on Twitter why the president is "scared to visit the border."
The White House in statement to Fox News Digital, said President Biden is working to secure the border but is also focused on the U.S. economy.
"The President was clear that his top priority is investing in the American economy and in American communities, out-competing China, and bringing back American jobs from overseas. In fact, as Fox News’ own analysis showed, the economy is the top issue for most Americans," the statement said. "If anyone believes that shouldn’t be the President’s top priority too, they should say that out loud. Of course, the President is also taking action to secure our border and build a fair, orderly, and humane immigration system. He’s secured more funding than all of his predecessors to support the men and women of the Department of Homeland Security, put forward a comprehensive immigration reform proposal, and brought 20 world leaders together to jointly manage the migration challenge impacting the entire Western Hemisphere."
"President Biden is focused on real solutions, not political stunts. And if border security is such a top priority for Republican officials, voting against President Biden’s request for record funding for the Department of Homeland Security, as Representative Roy did, is an odd way to show it."
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily briefing at the White House in Washington. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Jean-Pierre also claimed Republicans were "doing political stunts" with regard to the border.
"What are Congressional Republicans going to do to actually deal with this issue instead of doing political stunts?" Jean-Pierre said Monday, responding to a question from Fox News’ Jacqui Heinrich about visiting the border in 2023.
She said last week that the president had been to the border despite there being no record of Biden's visit.
"He’s been there. He’s been to the border. And since he took office…," Jean-Pierre said.
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