2024 State of the Union address: on Immigration


Joe Biden: We can fight about the border, or we can fix it

In November, my team began serious negotiations with a bipartisan group of senators. The result was a bipartisan bill with the toughest set of border security reforms we've ever seen... [interrupted by Republicans booing]. Oh, you don't think so? Oh, you don't like that bill, huh, that conservatives got together and said was a good bill?

That bipartisan deal would hire 1,500 more security agents and officers, 100 more immigration judges to help tackle a backload of 2 million cases, 4,300 more asylum officers, and new policies so they can resolve cases in 6 months instead of 6 years now. What are you against? 100 more high-tech drug detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop vehicles smuggling fentanyl into America?

This bill would save lives and bring order to the border. It will also give me and any new president new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming.

Source: 2024 State of the Union address Mar 7, 2024

Katie Britt: Biden invited border crisis with 94 executive actions

Our families are hurting. Our country can do better. And you don't have to look any further than the crisis at our southern border to see it. President Biden inherited the most secure border of all-time. But minutes after taking office, he suspended all deportations, halted construction of the border wall and announced a plan to give amnesty to millions. President Biden invited this border crisis with 94 executive actions in his first 100 days.

Just think about Laken Riley. This beautiful, 22-year- old nursing student went out on a jog one morning. But she never got the opportunity to return home. She was brutally murdered by one of the millions of illegal border crossers President Biden chose to release into our homeland. Tonight, President Biden finally said her name. But he refused to take responsibility for his own actions.

Mr. President, enough is enough. Innocent Americans are dying. And you only have yourself to blame. Reverse your policies. End this crisis. And stop the suffering.

Source: GOP Response to the 2024 State of the Union address Mar 7, 2024

Donald Trump: I built 571 miles of wall & made safest border in US history

Joe Biden is on the run from his record and lying like crazy to try to escape accountability for the horrific devastation he and his party have created--all the while they continue the very policies that are causing this horror show to go.

When I left office, we gave Joe Biden the most secure border in U.S. history--we gave him Remain in Mexico--very tough to get, but I got it, Safe Third Agreements, the Asylum ban, Title 42, 571 miles of border wall, Rapid Deportations, and much more. We had the safest border in the history of our country.

As soon as he got in, Crooked Joe and his Radical Left lunatics deliberately dismantled each and every one of those policies that were so good that gave us this best border, according to Tom Holman, according to Brandon Judd, the top people. They said it was the single best border we've ever had in recorded history. What's happened now is a horror show. The country--our country--is being laughed at all over the world.

Source: Trump Prebuttal to 2024 State of the Union address Mar 7, 2024

Donald Trump: Illegal alien invasion: hordes resettled in your community

Over the past 3 years, Biden has actively aided and abetted the importation of millions and millions of illegal alien migrants and resettled them into your communities. At ANY TIME during the past 3 years, Crooked Joe Biden could have called off the invasion--but to this day, he is keeping the hordes of illegal migrants and illegal aliens pouring into the country. By the time his term is up, we could have close to 20 million people in our country. We have no idea from where they come, we have no idea who they are. They have no identification. Many come from mental institutions, many come from prisons, they're terrorists.

The VERY FIRST BILL Joe Biden sent to Congress was a plan to turn illegal aliens into voting citizens. That's just what we need. No matter what Crooked Joe says, his actions prove his priority is to import a colossal new illegal alien population and let them all stay--my priority is securing our border, and sending Crooked Joe's illegals back home.

Source: Trump Prebuttal to 2024 State of the Union address Mar 7, 2024

Ilhan Omar: No human being is illegal

As Biden entered the House chamber [for his State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor] Greene gave him a pin with text that said: "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley's name.

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley's first name. Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

"Let me be clear: No human being is illegal," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., posted on X.

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

Joe Biden: Innocent young woman was killed by an illegal

For years, Republicans have blamed Biden for the historically high illegal immigration under his watch. Some Republicans wore red and white pins that said "Stop the Biden border crisis" in large capital letters.

As Biden entered the House chamber [for his State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor] Greene gave him a pin with text that said: "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley's name.

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley's first name. Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

"He should have said undocumented," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on CNN.

"Let me be clear: No human being is illegal," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., posted on X.

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

Joe Biden: FactCheck: more than 3 million cases in immigration courts

Here's some context missing from some of Biden's [State of the Union speech] comments on the [bipartisan immigration] bill.

BIDEN: "new emergency authority to temporarily shut down the border when the number of migrants at the border is overwhelming."

FactCheck: The government's ability to quickly remove people from the U.S. would still hinge on its resources, and other countries' willingness to take back immigrants.

BIDEN: "hire 100 more immigration judges to help tackle the backload of 2 million cases."

FactCheck: The backlog number is higher--there are more than 3 million cases in immigration courts as of November 2023. The bill called for "4,300 more asylum officers."

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

Marjorie Taylor Greene: Say her name: Laken Riley, killed by an illegal

For years, Republicans have blamed Biden for the historically high illegal immigration under his watch. Some Republicans wore red and white pins that said "Stop the Biden border crisis" in large capital letters.

As Biden entered the House chamber [for his State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor] Greene gave him a pin with text that said: "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley's name.

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley's first name. Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

Nancy Pelosi: Innocent young woman was killed by an undocumented immigrant

As Biden entered the House chamber [for his State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor] Greene gave him a pin with text that said: "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley's name.

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley's first name. Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

"He should have said undocumented," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on CNN.

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

Republican Party: Stop the Biden border crisis

For years, Republicans have blamed Biden for the historically high illegal immigration under his watch. Some Republicans wore red and white pins that said "Stop the Biden border crisis" in large capital letters.

As Biden entered the House chamber [for his State of the Union speech, Marjorie Taylor] Greene gave him a pin with text that said: "Say her name: Laken Riley," the University of Georgia student who was murdered. As he discussed border security and immigration, Greene interrupted Biden and challenged him to say Riley's name.

"Lincoln Riley, an innocent young woman who was killed by an illegal," Biden said, misstating Riley's first name. Some high-profile Democrats criticized him for using the phrase "illegal," which some argue is dehumanizing.

"He should have said undocumented," former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said on CNN.

"Let me be clear: No human being is illegal," Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., posted on X.

Source: PolitiFact.com on 2024 State of the Union Mar 8, 2024

  • The above quotations are from 2024 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Republican and MAGA response.
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Joe Biden on Immigration.
  • Click here for more quotes by Katie Britt on Immigration.
2024 Presidential contenders on Immigration:
  Candidates for President & Vice-President:
V.P.Kamala Harris (D-CA)
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.(I-CA)
Chase Oliver(L-GA)
Dr.Jill Stein(D-MA)
Former Pres.Donald Trump(R-FL)
Sen.J.D.Vance(R-OH)
Gov.Tim Walz(D-MN)
Dr.Cornel West(I-NJ)

2024 presidential primary contenders:
Pres.Joe_Biden(D-DE)
N.D.Gov.Doug Burgum(R)
N.J.Gov.Chris_Christie(R)
Fla.Gov.Ron_DeSantis(R)
S.C.Gov.Nikki_Haley(R)
Ark.Gov.Asa_Hutchinson(R)
Former V.P.Mike Pence(R-IN)
U.S.Rep.Dean_Phillips(D-MN)
Vivek_Ramaswamy(R-OH)
S.C.Sen.Tim_Scott(R)
Please consider a donation to OnTheIssues.org!
Click for details -- or send donations to:
1770 Mass Ave. #630, Cambridge MA 02140
E-mail: submit@OnTheIssues.org
(We rely on your support!)

Page last updated: Nov 02, 2024