White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed during Monday's press conference President Joe Biden will not visit the southern border to see the self-inflicted crisis firsthand when he goes to Arizona on Tuesday.
"I want to be very clear here, the president's trip tomorrow is about the American manufacturing boom. We're seeing all across the country, thanks to again, his economic polices, again," Jean-Pierre said.
REPORTER: "Any plans in Arizona to go to the border?"
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) December 5, 2022
KJP: "The president's trip tomorrow is about the American manufacturing boom." pic.twitter.com/6zb47wCqj1
Jean-Pierre was asked about the issue again by Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.
"If the President is not going to make time to visit the border during his trip...to a border state, will he do it in the new year?" Heinrich asked.
"We believe the question, again...is that what are Congressional Republicans going to do to actually deal with this issue? Instead of doing political stunts? Many of their political stunts that hurt families, that hurt kids, that children, right? That hurt people that are coming her to seek asylum," Jean-Pierre replied.
Jean-Pierre continued to blame Republicans for the problem that started once Biden came into office and reversed key policies put in place by the Trump administration. Heinrich reminded Jean-Pierre that Biden had previously stated he hasn't been to the border during his multi-decade political career is because he has been too busy.
"He's going to actually focus on...a bipartisan issue that was voted in Congress, the CHIPS and Science Act," said Jean-Pierre.
.@JacquiHeinrich: Biden "had said previously he hadn't had a lot of time to get to the border. He's going to [one] tmrw, so you would think...there would be time...If there isn't...can you say...that he-"
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 5, 2022
KJP: "He's going to actually focus on...a bipartisan issue that was voted" pic.twitter.com/tpubjQADGg
The only time Biden happened to be by the southern border was when he was driven past the border near El Paso on the way to a political rally in 2008. He has not been to the border in an official or fact-finding capacity.