Biden vows to ease border surge as Republicans sense a political opening

Joe Biden is pledging to take new steps to ease a surge of child migrants at the southern border as his White House parries Republican attacks over a wrenching humanitarian challenge that threatens to tarnish his fast start as president.

After weeks of refusing to call the crossings that have overwhelmed border posts a "crisis," the administration is making an aggressive attempt to defuse the situation and the toxic politics it has stirred in Washington.

The President said Sunday that the administration planned to rebuild a system that allows potential...