Independent Senator Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona chastised President Joe Biden for failing to visit the border on Tuesday, calling it a “no-brainer” for “anyone who is responsible for formulating or making policy,” according to an interview.
“I absolutely think the president should visit the border. In fact, I think anyone who is responsible for setting or making policy on the border should visit the border,” Sinema told Fox News producer Rich Edson during an interview. “I mean, that’s that’s a no brainer, right?”
Sinema re-registered as an independent on Dec. 9, after two turbulent years in which she and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia were chastised for refusing to abolish the filibuster for legislation. The refusal essentially sank Democratic initiatives on a number of subjects.
In October 2021, United States Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) joined Republican Senators Thom Tillis (R-NC) and John Cornyn (R-TX) on a trip to the border to witness the situation there first-hand.
At the time, Sinema criticized the federal government’s “duty” on the border, and the handling of the situation by President Biden, as well as past Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
In response, the two senators began working on legislation to grant citizenship to those in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. They also proposed reinstating Title 42, a Trump-era public health order, which was set to expire December 21, 2021.
"I absolutely think the president should visit the border. In fact, I think anyone who is responsible for setting or making policy on the border should visit the border. I mean, that's that's a no brainer, right?"
— Rich Edson (@RichEdsonDC) December 20, 2022
At the time of the trip, the United States Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) had encountered over 2.3 million migrants in Fiscal Year 2022, and another 230,000 in October. In addition, it was estimated that another 600,000 migrants had evaded CBP.
The Biden administration has since asked the Supreme Court to block legal efforts by Republican states to keep Title 42 in place.
The issue of immigration is complex and multi-faceted, but it is clear that the federal government must take meaningful steps to address the situation. By visiting the border and working on legislation, Senators Sinema, Tillis, and Cornyn show that they are committed to finding a solution.