Trump tears into Biden for 'spiraling tsunami' at the border, amid spike in migrant numbers

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Former President Donald Trump on Friday tore into President Biden for what he described as a "spiraling tsunami" at the border, just as the administration faces a spike in migrant families and unaccompanied children.

"Our border is now totally out of control thanks to the disastrous leadership of Joe Biden," Trump said in a lengthy statement. "Our great Border Patrol and ICE agents have been disrespected, demeaned, and mocked by the Biden Administration. A mass incursion into the country by people who should not be here is happening on an hourly basis, getting worse by the minute." 

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The 45th president made reference to the recent release of migrants who had tested positive for COVID-19 in South Texas. He also alluded to the narrowing of enforcement priorities for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as he declared that "interior enforcement has been shut down."

"The spiraling tsunami at the border is overwhelming local communities, depleting budgets, crowding hospitals, and taking jobs from legal American workers," he said. "When I left office, we had achieved the most secure border in our country’s history. Under Biden, it will soon be worse, more dangerous, and more out of control than ever before. He has violated his oath of office to uphold our Constitution and enforce our laws."

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded to Trump's statements on Friday.

"We don't take our advice or counsel from former President Trump on immigration policy, which was not only inhumane but ineffective over the last four years," she said. "We're going to tread our own path forward and that includes treating children with humanity and respect and ensuring they're safe when they cross our borders."

Biden campaigned on ending a number of Trump-era policies and set about doing just that. He has stopped construction of the border wall, ended the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) -- and scrapped orders ending "catch-and-release." Separately, he and congressional Democrats have pushed for pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the country already. 

The Migrant Protection Protocols, known as the "Remain in Mexico" policy and hashed out with Mexico as part of an agreement not to impose tariffs on the southern neighbor, were one of a number of agreements ended by Biden. He has also ended the asylum cooperative agreements (ACAs) with Northern Triangle countries that made migrants claim asylum in those countries. Those agreements were part of a series of policies the Trump administration took to end the 2019 migrant crisis.

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The Biden administration has said it is ending the "cruelty’ from the Trump administration and replace it with "an orderly humane and safe immigration process."

"We are not saying don’t come. We are saying don’t come now, because we will be able to deliver a safe and orderly process for them as quickly as possible," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said this week.

But Trump tore into Biden for ending his diplomatic moves like MPP with the "gross incompetence and radicalism of the people currently in charge."

"The Remain in Mexico Policy was incredible, but immediately abandoned by Biden, probably because it worked so well. Likewise, our Safe Third Agreements in Central America were extraordinarily successful, so Biden foolishly ditched them too," he said.

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Trump’s remarks come after he hit Biden on the border at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Sunday -- when he accused Biden of creating a "self-inflicted humanitarian and national security disaster."

Trump is one of a number of Republicans sounding the alarm about the crisis at the border. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy requested a meeting with Biden about the crisis on Friday, while other Republicans wrote to Biden urging him to reinstate a Trump-era national security declaration.

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Trump on Friday called on Biden’s administration to "act immediately to end the border nightmare that they have unleashed onto our Nation."

"Keep illegal immigration, crime, and the China Virus out of our country!" he said.

Fox News’ Brooke Singman contributed to this report.