Biden’s Mexican border coordinator to step down, amid migration crisis

Amid the ongoing struggle of a huge influx of undocumented migrants, President Joe Biden’s top official for the Mexican border, Roberta Jacobson, is set to down, the White House informed Friday.

Jacobson, officially known as coordinator for the Southwest Border at the National Security Council, will leave “at the end of this month,” National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

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According to Sullivan, Jacobson had committed to serving only for the first 100 days under the Biden administration, and the period is set to expire on April 30.

However, it is to be noted that the departure comes as the administration is struggling to handle waves of migrants — and to fend off criticism that it has lost control of the situation.

Jacobson’s resignation comes following the passing of his role — dealing with the governments in the Northern Triangle area of Central America, where most of the migrants come from — to Vice President Kamala Harris last month.

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Later, Sullivan hailed Jacobson’s time as the coordinator and said he succeeded in “having shaped our relationship with Mexico as an equal partner, having launched our renewed efforts with the Northern Triangle nations of El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras, and having underscored this administration’s commitment to reenergizing the US immigration system.”

The entry of Harris into the politically tricky issue is “a testament to the importance this administration places on improving conditions in the region,” Sullivan added.

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On Thursday, official data showed that apprehensions of undocumented migrants on the US border with Mexico soared 70% in March to 172,331, hitting the highest level in 15 years, according to AFP inputs.