White House and Democratic lawmakers plot ways to strengthen their hand on border security

The White House and top congressional Democrats are discussing a series of moves aimed at strengthening their hand on border security ahead of the first presidential debate next month.

The White House and top congressional Democrats are discussing a series of moves aimed at strengthening their hand on border security ahead of the first presidential debate next month. That includes potentially rolling out a sweeping executive order limiting migrants’ ability to seek asylum, revisiting the stalled bipartisan border bill in the Senate, and possibly sending President Joe Biden to the border, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. One of those sources said that some Democrats on Capitol Hill have encouraged White House officials to consider having the president make another visit to the border in the coming weeks. With border arrests down this year, thanks in part to Mexico stepping up its own enforcement efforts in January, the White House is looking to take advantage of a brief reprieve from one of the most politically fraught issues Biden faces in his reelection campaign. But senior administration officials are also bracing for the potential that border crossings will surge this summer, like in previous years, and are trotting out a series of policy changes to try to dissuade migrants from journeying to the US, and convince skeptical voters they are working to tighten up immigration at the border. If officials move forward with a border visit, it would mark Biden’s second trip to the US southern border this year and third since taking office. The discussions have not been previously reported; no trip has been announced. A White House spokesperson told CNN that no border trip for Biden is under consideration at the moment.