Obama Still Won’t Visit Border, But Agreed To Rick Perry Chat About Illegal Immigration

Rick Perry challenged President Barack Obama to come tour the Texas border and experience the illegal immigration problem first hand while in the state this week. Governor Perry reportedly declined and invite to meet President Obama on the tarmac and shake hands. White House officials are now telling media outlets that while the president still has no plans to review what many deem a national security threat along the Mexican border, he does want to schedule a group meeting to discuss the “immigration crisis” the Texas Governor and faith and local leaders in Dallas on Wednesday.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, hundreds of protestors in Murrietta, California stopped buses of illegal immigrants from entering their town last week. White House officials have remained largely mum on what will happen to the 50,000 plus illegal immigrants after they are processed at U.S. Border Patrol facilities around the country. Commonly, illegal aliens are given a “notice to appear” for a deportation hearing and then released until the date of the proceeding – the vast majority do not show up, according to Border Patrol staffers.

President Obama is slated to appear at Democratic fundraisers in Austin and Dallas during a swing into Texas this week. During an appearance on This Week on ABC, Governor Rick Perry emphatically criticized Barack Obama for not taking any action on the overwhelming illegal immigration and border crisis. “I have to believe that when you do not respond in any way, that you are wither inept, or you have some ulterior motive of which you are functioning from. I don’t believe he particularly cares whether or not the border of the United States is secure,” Governor Perry said.

On Monday White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest played down the mounting criticism about the president’s visit to Texas not including a visit to the border. Earnest said that President Obama is not worried about the “optics” i.e. photos and video taken, of just such a visit. Last week Earnest accused Rick Perry, a possible 2016 presidential candidate, of “playing politics” in his criticism of Obama’s attitude about the illegal immigration issue.

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Earnest suggested those upset that the president is not going to the border should instead be focusing on “comprehensive immigration reform.” Unfortunately for the White House, the growing number of Americans concerned about the massive influx of illegal migrants appear to want to focus first and solely on securing the border before moving onto any type of detailed legislation about making the immigration process quicker and easier. After declining the invite for the handshake photo op on the tarmac, Rick Perry asked President Obama for a “more substantive meeting” about the illegal immigration problem.

Excerpt from a letter Governor Perry sent to Barack Obama:

“I appreciate the offer to greet you at Austin-Bergstrom Airport, but a quick handshake on the tarmac will not allow for a thoughtful discussion regarding the humanitarian and national security crises enveloping the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. I would instead offer to meet with you at any time during your visit to Texas for a substantive meeting to discuss this critical issue. With the appropriate notice, I am willing to change my schedule to facilitate this request.”

White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett told Rick Perry that the president and the Obama administration is committed to addressing the “urgent humanitarian situation” along the border of his state.

What do you think about President Obama’s trip to Texas?

[Image Via: DMN News]