Biden news: President makes first response to classified papers trove as GOP accused Dems of hypocrisy
Discovery of documents cast a shadow over Biden’s visit to Mexico City for three-day summit with counterparts Trudeau and López Obrador
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
President Joe Biden’s visit to Mexico was shrouded by news that classified documents from his time as vice president were discovered at a think tank in Washington DC.
After initially dodging questions on the classified papers, the president addressed the issue on Tuesday, saying that he was “surprised” by the find.
“I was surprised to learn there were any government records that were taken there to that office,” he said, adding that he doesn’t know what the documents contain.
Mr Biden’s attorneys confirmed on Monday that they had found the government materials in a private office at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement in November.
The documents were immediately handed over to the National Archives and the Justice Department launched an investigation.
At least some of the materials are said to include intelligence memos regarding Iran, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and other topics, reported CNN.
The revelation about the documents comes amid a a three-day trip to Mexico where Mr Biden has held meetings with Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
During Tuesday’s meeting, Mr Biden praised Mr Trudeau for his support and cooperation with the US on international affairs.
“I want to thank you again. You’ve always been there whenever I call, you pick up the phone,” he said.
Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of Joe Biden’s visit to Mexico for a North American summit, as well as his first presidential inspection of the US-Mexico border.
Biden takes first presidential trip to US-Mexico border as officials report surge of crossings
Joe Biden visited El Paso, Texas as his administration faces important questions about how to address the ongoing tide of thousands of Central- and South Americans hoping to seek asylum in the US every month.
The president’s voyage marks his first trip to the US-Mexico border as commander-in-chief and comes specifically as his administration is fighting in the courts to end Title 42, a controversial public health protocol used by both the Trump administration and now his own as legal justification for turning migrants away at the border.
The Biden administration has seen levels trend up significantly since before the president took office, and most recently saw more than 227,000 migrants stopped by border agents in September, the most recent month for which data is available. More than 70,000 were expelled that month under Title 42.
Read John Bowden’s full report.
Biden takes first presidential trip to US-Mexico border
Red states have hammered Biden’s administration for not doing more to stem tide of illegal crossings
Biden to meet López Obrador and Justin Trudeau in Mexico today
Joe Biden will be greeted by his Mexican counterpart Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador at the Felipe Ángeles International Airport to kick off the first three-day North American Leaders’ Summit in a decade.
Mr Biden will first hold a closed-door meeting with the Mexican president at the National Palace before Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau’s arrival at 2.40pm local time.
Mr Biden will hold the summit with Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Mr Trudeau to discuss border issues, energy, economic cooperation and drug trafficking, especially fentanyl.
The summit will largely be focused on discussions to combat undocumented immigration and drug trafficking amid ongoing chaos in the country following the arrest of the son of El Chapo Guzmán, whose henchmen are now rampaging across Culiacán.
Following the 10th North American Leaders’ Summit, the three leaders will deliver statements to the media in the afternoon.
First lady Jill Biden is also travelling to Mexico to join Mr Biden and participate in an official welcome ceremony by the Mexican president.
Texas governor confronts Biden at airport after complaining he wasn’t invited to border visit
Joe Biden was confronted by the governor of Texas on the tarmac yesterday after the latter complained hours earlier that he had only been extended an invitation to meet him as an afterthought.
The moment occurred as Mr Biden touched down in the Lone Star State for a trip to the US-Mexico border, where he met with agents from US Customs and Border Protection as well as local elected leaders.
Greg Abbott handed the president a letter outlining his concerns about the number of migrants encountered in the US-Mexico border region, which has steadily risen in the two years Mr Biden has been in office. The letter concluded with a list of demands that included steps not even taken by the Trump administration during the latter’s four years in power.
Those steps included declaring drug cartels to be international terrorist groups, potentially authorising US military action against them, as well as greatly expanding detentions and deportations of undocumented immigrants.
Biden says summit with deepen shared priorities for North America
“I’m in Mexico to meet with President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada at the North American Leaders’ Summit,” Joe Biden tweeted ahead of the 10th North American Leaders’ Summit in Mexico.
Mr Biden said the gathering will deepen the countries’ coordination and advance shared priorities for North America.
Crossings surge to highest level under Biden administration, reports show
Joe Biden’s visit to the Mexico border comes as immigration has seen levels trend up significantly since before the president took office.
In September more than 227,000 migrants were stopped by border agents, the most recent month for which data is available. More than 70,000 were expelled that month under Title 42.
In the same month in 2021, there were 192,000 migrants encountered by agents in the southwest border region, while just 57,674 encounters occurred in September of 2020.
The Biden administration just recently expanded that authority to create a new guideline authorising US Customs and Border Protection to turn away migrants from several countries in the hopes of stemming that tide.
In October of 2022 the system was invoked to turn away all Venezuelan migrants encountered at the border, with administration officials citing a massive surge of both individuals and families originating from the South American country.
Texas governor confronts Biden at airport after complaining he wasn’t invited to border visit
Joe Biden was confronted by the governor of Texas on the tarmac on Sunday after the latter complained hours earlier that he had only been extended an invitation to meet him as an afterthought.
The moment occurred as Mr Biden touched down in the Lone Star State for a trip to the US-Mexico border, where he met with agents from US Customs and Border Protection as well as local elected leaders.
The trip comes as the president has long faced criticism from conservatives for not viewing the situation at the US-Mexico border firsthand, as well as for rolling back controversial Trump-era immigration policies that were long decried by Democrats as inhumane.
Governor confronts Biden at airport after complaining he wasn’t invited to border
President was handed letter outlining Greg Abbott’s complaints and demands for far-right policies
Message from US asylum hopefuls: Financial sponsors needed
Migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries have increasingly found that protections in the United States are available to those with money or the savvy to find someone to vouch for them financially.
President Joe Biden announced a massive expansion of humanitarian parole on Thursday for Cubans, Haitians, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans, which is reserved for those who apply online, pay airfare and have a financial sponsor for two years.
It builds on a measure introduced in October to admit 24,000 Venezuelans to the US for two years if they have sponsors – and, on the flip side, to quickly expel anyone crossing the border illegally back to Mexico, denying them a chance to seek asylum.
Message from US asylum hopefuls: Financial sponsors needed
Migrants and asylum seekers fleeing violence and persecution in their home countries have increasingly found that protections in the United States are available to those with money or the savvy to find someone to vouch for them financially
Biden condemns storming of Brazil's National Congress
Joe Biden has issued a statement to condemn rioters for invading Brazil’s Supreme Court and its National Congress building, in violence reminiscent of the January 6 storming of the US Capitol in 2021.
“I condemn the assault on democracy and on the peaceful transfer of power in Brazil. Mr Biden said during his visit to the US-Mexico border.
“Brazil’s democratic institutions have our full support and the will of the Brazilian people must not be undermined. I look forward to continuing to work with @LulaOficial.”
World leaders issued condemnatory statements as supporters of ex-president Jair Bolsonaro stormed Congress, the Supreme Court and presidential palace then trashed the nation’s highest seats of power.
The protesters were seeking military intervention to either restore the far-right Bolsonaro to power or oust the newly inaugurated leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
Jill Biden to fly to Mexico ahead of Biden, Lopez Obrador and Trudeau summit
En route to Mexico to be welcomed by the Mexican president and join her husband Joe Biden, the US first lady said in a Tweet that she was visiting the “beautiful” Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The president and first lady will participate in an official welcome ceremony hosted by president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and Dr Beatriz Gutiérrez Müller of Mexico.
At 6.45pm local time, the two will participate in a trilateral dinner with Mr Lopez Obrador, Justin Trudeau of Canada, and his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies