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Biden heads off to Camp David despite border crisis where 30,000 Haitian migrants crossed into Del Rio and with negotiations still looming on his $3.5 trillion budget bill - ahead of week that will define his presidency

  President   Joe Biden   left the   White House   Friday night together with first lady   Jill Biden  for a weekend away at Camp David at t...

 President Joe Biden left the White House Friday night together with first lady Jill Biden for a weekend away at Camp David at the end of a chaotic week that saw an impromptu border camp in Del Rio, Texas, cleared of thousands of Haitian migrants. 

Nearly 30,000 migrants had been encountered in Del Rio in the past two weeks but by Friday morning there were none left in the camp beneath the international bridge that links the U.S. with Mexico.

More than 12,000 migrants will have a chance to make their case for protection before U.S. immigration judges, an estimated 8,000 voluntarily returned to Mexico, and 2,000 were expelled to Haiti. The fate of others detained is to be decided. 

At least five more flights from the U.S. border were scheduled on Friday, flight tracking website FlightAware showed. 

Migrants were pictured taking shelter as they waited to be processed near the Del Rio International Bridge after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. in Del Rio, Texas

Migrants were pictured taking shelter as they waited to be processed near the Del Rio International Bridge after crossing the Rio Grande into the U.S. in Del Rio, Texas

Migrants are pictured sheltering along the Del Rio International Bridge at sunset last week

Migrants are pictured sheltering along the Del Rio International Bridge at sunset last week

In this aerial image the makeshift migrant border camp near the Del Rio International Bridge is seen after it was cleared in Del Rio, Texas, U.S. on Friday

In this aerial image the makeshift migrant border camp near the Del Rio International Bridge is seen after it was cleared in Del Rio, Texas, U.S. on Friday

A Haitian migrant girl cries before leaving a makeshift camp in the Braulio Mendoza Park to move to the Terraza Fandango shelter, in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Friday

A Haitian migrant girl cries before leaving a makeshift camp in the Braulio Mendoza Park to move to the Terraza Fandango shelter, in Ciudad Acuna, Coahuila state, Mexico, on Friday

As well as the Biden administration's decision to send migrants back to Haiti, Mexico has also sought to bus and fly Haitians to its southern states. 

Many of the Haitians arriving at the U.S. border had previously lived in Brazil and Chile, while others have transited through the South American countries.

U.S. President Joe Biden has faced criticism over the expulsions, including in a sternly worded resignation letter from the U.S. Special Envoy to Haiti, Daniel Foote, who described the Caribbean nation as a collapsed state.

The crisis at the border comes ahead of a week that will likely define Biden's presidency. 

While Democrats look down a potential government shutdown and a debt ceiling showdown their their Republican counterparts, Biden is trying to get his massive $3.5 trillion budget bill through Congress - a key part of his 'Build Back Better' agenda. 

'Let's just talk about it when I get through,' Biden answered when asked on the South Lawn if he was surprised that moderate Democrats are the holdouts on passing the plan. He answered, 'Yeah, but I'm negotiating with them, not you guys,' when asked if he knew what moderates wanted.

'Let's just talk about it when I get through,' Biden answered when asked on the South Lawn if he was surprised that moderate Democrats are the holdouts on passing the $3.5 trillion budget bill

'Let's just talk about it when I get through,' Biden answered when asked on the South Lawn if he was surprised that moderate Democrats are the holdouts on passing the $3.5 trillion budget bill 

President Joe Biden (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) walk out of the White House to Marine One en route to Camp David for a weekend away ahead of week that will define his presidency

President Joe Biden (left) and first lady Jill Biden (right) walk out of the White House to Marine One en route to Camp David for a weekend away ahead of week that will define his presidency

Progressives in the House won't sign onto Biden's bipartisan infrastructure plan unless they're assured the $3.5 trillion budget bill will pass too.  

Earlier Biden conceded that talks over his rebuilding plan have hit a 'stalemate' in Congress as he made the case for his expansive effort to recast the nation's tax and spending programs and make what he sees as sweeping, overdue investments.

He told reporters on the South Lawn he had spoken with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Friday on where negotiations stood.  

Biden spoke at the White House as Democrats in the House and Senate are laboring to finish drafts and overcome differences between the party's centrist and moderate factions. Despite efforts by the president and congressional leaders to show progress, Biden cast the road ahead as long and potentially cumbersome, even with upcoming deadlines.

'We´re getting down to the hard spot here,' Biden told reporters at the White House. 'We´re at this stalemate at the moment.'

Biden said the process is 'going to be up and down' but 'hopefully at the end of the day I'll be able to deliver on what I said I would do.'

The president's acknowledgment of Democrats' disagreements - and they have serious differences over taxes, health, climate change and the ultimate price tag - contrasted with congressional leaders' more upbeat tone in recent days. Using carefully chosen words, top Democrats have seemed to be trying to create a sense of momentum as House votes approach.

On Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., predicted passage of both pillars of Biden's domestic agenda. One is a still-evolving $3.5 trillion package of social safety net and climate programs, the other a separate $1 trillion measure financing highway, internet and other infrastructure projects that's already passed the Senate with bipartisan support.

'We're going to pass both bills,' she told reporters.

But she did not spell out how she and her Senate counterpart, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would resolve disagreements and distrust between their party's moderate and progressive wings that's stalled both measures. And there remained confusion about the voting schedule, which will be crucial.

Pelosi promised House moderates last month that by this Monday, the chamber will consider the infrastructure bill, centrists' top priority.

But progressives are threatening to vote to derail the infrastructure legislation until a final version of their favorite - the $3.5 trillion social and environment bill - passes the Senate and returns to the House. Progressives think delaying the public works bill would pressure moderates to back the larger measure.

'We´re bringing the bill up, we will have a vote when we have the votes,' Pelosi told a reporter Friday about the infrastructure bill's timing. While she said debate would begin Monday, her remarks suggested that final passage of the public works legislation could slip.

Pelosi also told reporters that 'the plan' was for her chamber to consider the $3.5 trillion package next week as well. It remained unclear how House-Senate bargainers would solve their differences over that bill that quickly.

The president said his private meetings with some two dozen Democratic lawmakers this week in efforts to hasten progress and close the deal went well - describing the tone as collegial and with 'no hollering.'

But as lawmakers raised objections over the sweep and scope of the plan, which is to be funded by higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy, Biden said he tried to get them focused on priorities - what they can and can't live with.

President Joe Biden initally discussed negotiations on Capitol Hill during a Q&A reporters after addressing COVID booster shots Friday morning from the State Dining Room

President Joe Biden initally discussed negotiations on Capitol Hill during a Q&A reporters after addressing COVID booster shots Friday morning from the State Dining Room  

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (left), Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (center) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (right) update reporters on Democratic efforts to pass President Joe Biden's 'Build Back Better' agenda on Thursday

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (left), Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen (center) and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (right) update reporters on Democratic efforts to pass President Joe Biden's 'Build Back Better' agenda on Thursday 

'It's about paying your fair share, for lord's sake,' Biden said. 'There clearly is enough, from a panoply of options, to pay for whatever it is.'

In a stark reality check, Biden suggested talks could drag to the end of the year. 'It´s just going to take some time,' he said.

Lawmakers are working nonstop and Biden is facing pressure to close the deal. Pelosi met Friday at the Capitol with her leadership team, and the House Budget Committee planned a rare Saturday session to take the strictly procedural step of sending the $3.5 trillion bill, as drafted by 13 other House panels, to the full chamber without any changes.

Before the House votes on that measure, it is certain to change, perhaps more than once, to reflect compromises reached with Senate Democrats.


Biden's big vision over his 'Build Back Better' campaign promise proposes expanding health, education and federal programs, with more services for Americans of all ages, while investing heavily in efforts to tackle climate change. 

All this would be paid for largely by hiking tax rates on corporations and wealthy individuals, those earning beyond $400,000 a year, or $450,000 for married couples.

But centrist Democrats see the overall price tag as too much, while progressive lawmakers are hesitant to compromise any further after already having dropped even more ambitious ideas.

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