Republican leaders question Biden's border visit

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — President Joe Biden's political opponents were also in town. Many feel he has not been to the Texas-Mexico border nearly enough since taking office.

We were there as a “Trump train” travelled to the Brownsville South Padre Island International Airport around the time the president was arriving.

Rio Grande Valley republicans like State Rep. Janie Lopez, representing District 37 find it interesting that the president visits the Valley at the same time former President Donald Trump was in Eagle Pass.

“Trump has been here to our area several times before," Lopez said. "This is not the first time. He came during his presidency and he’s come several times. So, for Biden to come now, then that just tells us that he’s afraid. Afraid of what? Afraid of losing.”

We spoke with the Hidalgo County GOP chair Adrienne Pena Garza as the Trump train was being organized in Brownsville. She thinks the recent poll numbers showing how much voters are concerned about the immigration issue are a strong motivating factor for Biden’s visit.

“The border security issue is a concern for all Americans and I believe that a lot of democrats are also, you know had it up to here with waiting for something to be done,” Pena Garza said.

She also thinks that the President is doing a little campaign work for the congressman representing District 34, which includes Brownsville. Because the President – she believes – feels he cannot lose this historic democratic stronghold.

“Unfortunately he waited to early vote and so there’s that. I do believe that it’s a 'get out the vote' effort for Vicente Gonzalez,” Pena Garza said.

And a former opponent of Vicente Gonzalez, now congresswoman representing District 15, Monica De La Cruz, is also calling out the President on the timing of his recent focus on the border.

“It should not have taken President Biden three years to acknowledge the worst border crisis in our country’s history,“ De La Cruz said.