(AURN News) – The Biden administration continues to grapple with the ongoing situation at the southern border, with no clear solution in sight. During Monday’s White House press briefing, National Security Advisor John Kirby addressed questions about potential executive actions on immigration but emphasized the limits of what the president can do unilaterally.
When pressed on whether more executive actions were being considered, Kirby stated, “I don’t have any announcements to make with respect to executive action.”
But he pushed back against the notion that President Biden has not taken any steps, noting he has kept U.S. troops deployed at the border and worked with Mexico. Ultimately, though, Kirby argued that stemming the flow of migrants and curbing issues like fentanyl trafficking requires additional resources that only Congress can provide.
“But the idea that he hasn’t taken executive action when warranted is just not true. He has. But there is a real limit to executive action in terms of what’s needed down there. What’s needed is funding, more than anything. And, again, for all the people out there expressing concerns about the border, number one, we share those concerns, which is why the president put, you know, billions of dollars into a national security supplemental to give the Border Patrol, to give the customs courts additional resources. You got to have funding for that,” he said.
The administration previously requested billions in a supplemental budget for agencies like Border Patrol and immigration courts, which Kirby framed as evidence of their concerns. And as the crisis continues with no clear resolution, pressure will likely mount on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue to find a workable solution.
Click play to listen to the AURN News report from Jamie Jackson:
