When it comes to managing the flood of migrants crossing the southern border, even President Joe Biden’s own team has some thoughts on what could have been done differently. Patrick Lechleitner, who’s wrapping up his time as the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), recently shared his perspective, and it might surprise you.
Appearing on Fox & Friends, Lechleitner expressed his belief that Biden should have acted sooner. He pointed to an executive order Biden signed in June to temporarily halt the entry of non-citizens when border encounters topped 2,500 a day for a week. According to Lechleitner, this move made a huge difference — but he wishes it had come much earlier.
“I would have liked to see that executive order… It helped a lot,” Lechleitner said. “We could’ve implemented it much sooner, and it would have really helped us.” But when asked why it took so long for the president to take action, Lechleitner was blunt: “I don’t know.”
Lechleitner’s comments come at a time when questions about Biden’s leadership have become louder. A recent report from The Wall Street Journal revealed that many of Biden’s top officials, including those in charge of national security, rarely had direct contact with the president. Instead, they often spoke with his senior staff members, like Steve Ricchetti and Jake Sullivan, who’ve become known as the “Biden whisperers.”
Some insiders, like Rep. Jim Himes from Connecticut, have even shared their frustrations. Himes noted that despite his efforts to push for national security reforms, he never had a chance to speak with Biden personally. “I had more personal contact with Obama,” he said, adding that it felt odd given his much more junior role back then.
Others, like Sen. Joe Manchin, also noticed a shift. He observed that Biden seemed to lack the stamina to stay fully engaged in his duties, relying more heavily on his staff to get things done.
As Biden’s health became a point of concern, especially after a report from Special Counsel Robert Hur about his forgetfulness and frailty, the cracks started to show. By June, his debate with Donald Trump only seemed to confirm what many feared — Biden was struggling, and the public began to call for him to step aside for someone else. Even some senior Democrats joined the chorus, urging him to end his reelection campaign.
But White House spokesperson Andrew Bates quickly pushed back against these claims, insisting that Biden’s record stands strong. According to Bates, Biden has “earned the most accomplished record of any modern commander in chief” and remains dedicated to policies that help everyday Americans.
While there’s no doubt Biden has made significant strides, the question remains: Could things have been handled differently? And what could have been done to address the border crisis sooner? Only time will tell.