Border Crisis Deepens: Support for Biden's Administration Wanes as Cracks Emerge
Glenn Gilmour, 5/16/2024The cracks in Biden's political support are widening as his administration grapples with an escalating border crisis and disillusionment from allies across the political spectrum. With a staggering 1.6 million illegal immigrants evading capture, even stalwart Democrats and deep-pocketed donors are voicing outrage, leaving Biden fighting to salvage his presidency and chance at re-election.
The cracks are starting to show in Biden's once-solid political support as his administration grapples with a worsening crisis at the southern border -- fallout from what critics have dubbed the president's "self-inflicted disaster" of open-border policies. Newly revealed data lays bare the staggering scale: a mind-boggling 1.6 million illegal immigrants managed to evade capture by Border Patrol from 2021 to 2023 alone, exceeding the 1.4 million "gotaways" recorded over the entire prior decade.
"The most imminent threat to our national security is President Biden's self-inflicted border crisis," thundered Rep. Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), his voice dripping with indignation. With over 670,000 gotaways just this fiscal year, Arrington posed the chilling question: "Who is entering our country, where are they, and what intentions might they harbor?" It's a reality that has become too glaring to ignore -- a reckless disregard for the rule of law and American sovereignty that was once unthinkable.
But the administration's border bungling is merely the opening salvo in a growing backlash that now sees even stalwart Democratic allies wavering. As the numbers spiral out of control -- with over 200,000 deportation cases tossed out due to bureaucratic failures and a 3.6 million case backlog swamping immigration courts -- the White House finds itself besieged on multiple fronts. Deflecting blame onto Congress, a spokesperson claimed they had "negotiated in good faith" for reforms, only to be rebuffed. Yet such rhetoric rings hollow as influential voices across the political spectrum voice outrage.
"Numbers don't lie. Gotaways have exploded under Biden," declared Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-Fla.), his words a damning indictment. But it's not just Republican firebrands fanning the flames; even Democratic heavyweights are shifting their stance. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) is reportedly mulling a revival of past bipartisan border bills -- a tacit acknowledgment, as Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) quipped, that "Biden has lost all credibility on the border."
The donor class, too, is voicing its disillusionment in increasingly strident tones. Billionaire Bill Ackman, once content to style himself a "centrist," now deems Biden's policies "one of the worst acts against an ally...ever" -- suggesting the president's time in office may be running short. For stalwart Democrat Michael Granoff, the breaking point was Biden's perceived reversal on Israel policy; having backed the president in 2020, he now admits the "nonzero chance" of supporting Trump.
Even the president's normally reliable Jewish support is fraying amid concerns over his stance on Israeli arms shipments -- drawing stinging rebukes from the likes of mogul Haim Saban, who reminded Biden's team: "There are more Jewish voters who care about Israel than Muslim voters that care about Hamas." As former Trump ambassador David Freidman observes, big-money donors are "leaning very close to going for Trump" -- an unthinkable defection mere months ago.
Beset by a cascade of crises -- from the border debacle to faltering backing on key issues -- Biden now finds himself waging a two-front war to salvage his presidency. On one side loom forces demanding he take decisive action to stem the tide of illegal immigration; on the other, a restive left-wing base increasingly disenchanted with his policies abroad. Navigating these treacherous shoals, the president teeters -- his path to re-election growing more tenuous by the day as allies peel away in search of surer footing.
"Our country cannot survive another 4 years of this administration," warns Arrington, his voice a bellwether of gathering discontent. For Biden, the stakes could scarcely be higher -- the future of the nation, and his own political fortunes, now hinging on his ability to regain control of crises spiraling ever further from his grasp.
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