Former Biden official admits admin ‘woke up too late’ on border crisis

Salazar, who previously served as Secretary of the Interior under President Barack Obama and as US ambassador to Mexico under President Joe Biden, detailed his concerns in his new book, “Borderlands.” The book evaluated American foreign policy toward Central and South America, arguing that the US has frequently prioritized issues in Asia and Europe instead.

Salazar said the Biden administration particularly failed to give Mexico and the southern border sufficient attention.

"From day one, there should have been a great sense of urgency in addressing the crisis of a broken border and the migration crisis that we are seeing," Salazar said. He also argued that the Biden administration created a communications vacuum that Republicans were ultimately able to capitalize on with their own messaging.

"I think that's what trapped the administration into this sense that they woke up too late by the time they did the right things to get control of the border," Salazar said.

According to a report by Fox News, Salazar recounted an incident in his book in which he nearly resigned as ambassador to Mexico after being excluded from a meeting during a trip to Mexico with Biden. Salazar wanted to make a case for the White House to appoint a border czar. Salazar eventually met with Biden and raised his concerns directly.

"We need someone in the White House to oversee the border, migration, Mexico, and the Americas. No one is in charge now. We need a border and migration czar," he recounted telling Biden. "[We need] someone focused exclusively on this crisis, with the authority to coordinate and direct action across agencies in Washington and communicate the message with one voice on these issues. With all due respect, Mr. President, if we are to succeed, it is urgent that we have someone like this in charge."

Salazar has also called for an alliance among the US, Mexico, and Canada that includes stronger security cooperation, and that immigration should be a top national security and economic issue. He admitted that President Trump is correct to emphasize the border, though he disagreed with the Trump administration’s approach.

Under the Biden administration, more than 7.2 million illegal immigrants entered the country, according to data from the US Customs and Border Protection.