Back to work Joe: Biden leaves Caribbean after weeklong beach vacation as border crisis, possible government shutdown and Ukraine funding row await him in Washington

President Joe Biden, first lady Jill Biden and granddaughter Natalie departed St. Croix on Tuesday, leaving the sunny skies of the Caribbean for the political storms of Washington, D.C.

The president was seen in public only once during his week in the largest of the US Virgin Islands. He attended Mass and took his family out to dinner. Otherwise, he stayed behind the gated walls of his luxurious private villa with private beach.

Biden faces a battle over government funding in DC that could lead to a January 19 shutdown, uncertain funding for Ukraine amid a battle over border security, questions about his 2024 prospects, dismal polling and an increase in attacks on US troops in the U.S. Middle East.

The president did some work during his vacation. He was briefed daily by his national security team and released statements after Russia launched a massive airstrike on Ukraine and Japan was hit by a massive earthquake.

He took wife Jill and granddaughter Natalie out to dinner in St. Croix on Saturday, where he ate at a local restaurant in downtown Christiansted.

The family seemed to be having a great time during their trip. The president, 81, said his New Year's resolution is “to come back next year.”

“I know you guys hate this assignment here. I'm sorry I brought you here,” he joked to reporters who questioned him after he left the restaurant.

The Bidens visited Too.Chez, which is known for its seafood prepared by a team of father and son chefs. They are known locally for the best catch of the day.

Biden seemed to enjoy his night out. As he left the building, he stopped to talk to customers dining on the restaurant's porch. And several rounds of applause were heard before he left the diner.

Earlier Saturday, the president went to church. As a devout Catholic, he rarely misses weekend Mass. Neither Jill nor Natalie attended the service at Holy Cross Catholic Church.

The Biden family is staying rent-free in a beachfront villa owned by friends Bill and Connie Neville, who made their fortune in the tech industry and attended the White House state dinner with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Located in an area where homes can sell for up to $3 million, the property has three bedrooms, a pool and access to a private beach.

The Bidens also spent last year at Neville's house.

Biden will have a full schedule at the White House on Wednesday as he faces a looming government shutdown.

When lawmakers return after the new year, they will have just eight legislative days before the first deadline of January 19, which would shut down parts of the government, and another four days before the second deadline of February 2, which would result in a full government shutdown. .

Members of Congress left Washington for their vacation without an agreement on overall spending levels, which is crucial in negotiating a broader financing deal.

She and President Biden also remain locked in a standoff over financing Ukraine and protecting the southern border.

Biden has asked Congress for $61 billion in aid to Ukraine, but Republicans are refusing to approve the aid without an agreement with Democrats to tighten security along the U.S.-Mexico border. His request also includes $14 billion for Israel to fight Hamas and $14 billion for U.S. border security.

Biden on Wednesday announced a $250 million arms package to Ukraine, which officials said would be a final amount of U.S. aid unless Congress approves new funding.

The White House has warned that unless Congress allocates additional aid to Kiev, funds will run out by the end of the year.

Biden and his Democrats have made major concessions on border security to try to reach a deal, including raising standards for asylum seekers and expanding the president's power to quickly remove migrants crossing the border.

But Republicans have remained noncommittal.

Immigration has become entrenched in Biden's foreign policy and is a political hot potato for the president as he seeks a second term. Republicans — and even some Democrats — have criticized him for not doing enough to secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination, repeatedly hammers Biden for not doing enough to stop border crossings.

Last month there were a record number of border crossings.

Between December 1 and December 31, more than 302,000 migrants were documented attempting to cross the U.S. southern border.

It is the highest single-month total ever recorded in history and marks the first time encounters with migrants have exceeded 300,000.

Thousands more were expected to arrive in the coming days in the form of a massive migrant caravan making its way through Mexico to the southern border. Video and photos show the massive march with families carrying large crosses and their belongings on the journey to the US.

The border has been a headache for Biden for months and his approval ratings continue to fall Thirty-eight percent of voters say they approve of his approach to immigration, up from 46 percent in November.

Republicans took advantage of President Biden's vacation to pressure him for heading to the Caribbean as the crisis grew.

Biden is not the first to face partisan criticism for vacationing with former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump, all of whom have come under scrutiny for time spent away from the capital.

And while Biden is in the US Virgin Island, members of Congress are back home in their congressional districts, meaning Washington DC is virtually devoid of political types.

“Joe Biden is vacationing in the Virgin Islands while the southern border is in crisis,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) said earlier this week.

Rep. Tom Tiffany (R-Wis.) criticized Biden for being “on vacation AGAIN while our southern border is being invaded by illegal aliens.”

Meanwhile, the beginning of 2024 is also the official kick-off for the next presidential elections.

Biden saw some troubling numbers in the first poll of the new year. Trump defeated him with two key voter groups, giving the former president an overall lead in the race for the White House.

Trump leads Biden among Hispanic voters by five points, 39%-34%, and among younger voters by three points, 37%-34%, according to a USA TODAY/Suffolk University survey.

Biden won both voting groups in the 2020 presidential contest, where he defeated Trump and won the White House. Monday's poll also shows Biden losing support among black voters, another key voting bloc.

He now has the support of just 63% of Black voters, a group he carried by as much as 87% in 2020.

Overall, the poll showed Trump leading with 39%, compared to Biden's 37%, with 17% supporting an unnamed third party.

When third-party candidates were mentioned by name, Trump's lead increased to 37% and Biden's to 34%, with independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. topped third-party candidates by 10%.

The overall trend is troubling for Biden, especially among younger voters, who overwhelmingly supported him four years ago and largely disagree with Republicans on issues such as abortion access and climate change.

And some of the president's support appears to have gone to third parties. The poll found that 20% of Hispanic and Black voters, along with 21% of young voters, say they will support someone other than the top two contenders.

Multiple polls have shown that voters want an alternative candidate for the 2024 presidential election, with concerns raised about Biden's age. At 81 years old, he is the oldest American president in history. If he wins a second term, he would be 86 when this one is over.

However, in the poll, 74% of likely Democratic primary voters support Biden, while only 9% support author Marianne Williamson and 2% support Minnesota Rep. Dean Phillips.

Trump, 77, is leading the polls for the Republican nomination. The first nomination competitions will start in a few weeks.