With predictions that the border crisis will be worse in 2015 as some 142,000 attempt to cross from Mexico into the United States, President Obama told Mexico’s president that the crush is now “manageable.”
With the Oval Office pool of reporters looking on, Obama said, “At the southern border, we’ve seen those numbers reduced dramatically to much more manageable levels.”
But he also promised to be tough with the next wave. “We’re also going to be much more aggressive at the border in ensuring that people come through the system legally,” he said, according to the pool’s report.
The president said that he planned to speak “with Central American governments on the social and economic challenges that led to the spike in unaccompanied children,” though he didn’t give any specifics.
He said that he appreciated a “commitment” from Mexico on “sending a very clear message” regarding his executive actions on immigration and said his controversial actions will provide a mechanism so that families are not separated who have been here for some time.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected].
