A top adviser to President Biden on migration issues will leave the White House next week after three years on the job.
Katie Tobin, senior director for cross-border issues at the National Security Council, will leave the administration as Biden faces criticism for his handling of the southern border and lawmakers on Capitol Hill struggle to reach a deal on immigration.
John Kirby, White House foreign policy spokesman, said Tobin played a central role in organizing the administration’s democracy summits with other countries, as well as the Declaration from Los Angeles. signed in 2022 which created a framework for Western Hemisphere leaders to manage migration flows.
“We will all miss her. She’s a great professional and a true public servant in that regard,” Kirby said, adding that Tobin would return to Chicago to spend more time with her family.
NBC first reported on Tobin’s impending departure.
Tobin’s departure comes as the White House is engaged in a standoff with Texas over management of the southern border. Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) erected razor wire and fences along the border, which prevented Border Patrol agents from accessing some areas.
At the same time, Senate lawmakers have been working for weeks on a legislative deal to address the surge of migrants at the southern border. Biden has said he is willing to make significant compromises on border policy to reach an agreement on that issue and on funding for Ukraine.
But House Republicans have said they won’t compromise, and former President Trump pressured GOP lawmakers to accept no deal while using immigration to attack Biden on the campaign trail.
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