In a bid to salvage a border deal in Congress and address the ongoing issue of migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, President Joe Biden has pledged to close the border if lawmakers send him a bill to sign. Speaking at a political event in South Carolina, Biden expressed his willingness to take decisive action to control the border if a bipartisan bill is passed.

The proposed deal, which is still under negotiation in Congress, would require the U.S. to close the border if around 5,000 migrants cross illegally in a single day. This comes as some day totals in the past year have exceeded 10,000, leading to a strain on immigration resources.

Former President Donald Trump has been exerting pressure on Republicans to derail the negotiations, hoping to deny Biden a victory on an issue that played a significant role in his own successful 2016 campaign. Trump's efforts to sway conservative lawmakers have caused strain in the ongoing negotiations, which appeared to be nearing a resolution.

Biden's commitment to close the border received a mixed response, with some immigrant advocates expressing astonishment and disappointment that his approach does not align with the progressive policies they had hoped for. Deirdre Schifeling, chief political and advocacy officer at the American Civil Liberties Union, called on Biden and Congress to abandon these proposals and prioritize fair and effective immigration policies that treat people seeking safety with dignity.

The issue of immigration is one that continues to concern voters as the 2024 election approaches. A recent AP-NORC poll showed an increase in the number of people voicing concerns about immigration, with 35 percent of respondents listing it as a priority, up from 27 percent last year. Republicans are particularly focused on immigration, with 55 percent stating it should be a government priority in 2024.

In December, the number of arrests for illegal border crossings from Mexico reached a record high since monthly figures have been released. The Border Patrol reported 249,785 arrests in December, a 31 percent increase from November and a 13 percent increase from December 2022, the previous all-time high. The top nationalities among those arrested were Mexicans, Venezuelans, Guatemalans, Hondurans, and Colombians.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, responded to Biden's comments by asserting that the president does not require congressional action to close the border and urged him to take immediate executive action to address the crisis that he believes Biden has created.

The fate of the border deal remains uncertain, given the divide between Senate Democrats and Republicans, as well as the control the GOP holds in the House. The urgency to fix the broken immigration system and provide a comprehensive solution while ensuring border security continues to be a pressing issue for the Biden administration.

Meanwhile, Biden grapples with the challenge of addressing both the influx of asylum seekers and cracking down on illegal border crossings. The strain on resources in cities that receive these asylum seekers has become a growing concern for Democrats.

As the negotiations in Congress continue, the president's commitment to close the border demonstrates his determination to find a solution to the immigration problem while navigating political challenges and meeting the demands of the American people.

(Photo by Tom Brenner/Reuters