Former Texas Representative and erstwhile Democratic presidential contender, Beto ORourke, has leveled criticism against President Biden, accusing him of falling short on his 2020 campaign pledges concerning immigration.
ORourke expressed concern over the apparent dwindling enthusiasm among voters, warning that they are "leaving his banner in droves."
During an event at the Institute of Politics at the Harvard Kennedy School, ORourke expressed his dissatisfaction with the president's approach to immigration, particularly his efforts to prevent migrants from seeking asylum if they enter the country illegally. He referred to this policy as an "asylum ban."
"Biden has been successful on some counts. The rhetoric, its night and day against Donald Trump. Biden is not inspiring, I dont think, any acts of political terror or the kind of slaughter that we saw in El Paso, and yet on other counts, hes really failing us, ORourke stated.
He further elaborated on the implications of the so-called asylum ban, arguing that it makes it exceedingly difficult for individuals to enter the country lawfully and safely when they can no longer remain in their own countries.
"Why the hell else would you travel 2000 miles, the length of this continent, much of it on foot, some of it atop, not inside, of a train, called the beast La Bestia facing rape, torture, you know, kidnapping by these transnational criminal organizations, only to come to the most heavily militarized border probably anywhere in this hemisphere, if not this planet where you risk your life," he questioned.
ORourke also pointed out the alarming increase in migrant deaths, stating that more migrants "have died this year than any year on record."
The 51-year-old former congressman argued that without a return to the "incredible moral clarity" Biden demonstrated on immigration during the 2020 election, the president could potentially lose his 2024 race.
ORourke cited a recent survey published in The New York Times, which indicated that Biden is trailing Trump in five battleground states. He also referenced another poll by Bloomberg News/Morning Consult, which showed Biden losing to Trump in six swing states Georgia, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Arizona, and North Carolina.
"Now will they vote for Donald Trump? Will they vote for RFK Jr.? Will they not vote at all? I dont know. But lets give them a reason to vote for the president. Something bold, something big, something that matches the rhetoric that he used in 2020 and inspires voters in 2024 is whats needed right now," ORourke concluded.
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