The US President made the comments during his first press briefing.
President Joe Biden made reference to his Irish ancestry during his first formal press briefing as president of the United States, stating that his great-grandfather left Ireland “because of what the Brits had been doing”.
After being questioned about the plight of migrants at the US-Mexico border, the US President used his own family history to discuss the difficulties migrants face when journeying to a new country.
He said: “When my great-grandfather got into a coffin ship in the Irish sea, the expectation was if he was going to live long enough on that ship to get to the United States of America.
“But they left because of what the Brits had been doing.
“They were in real real trouble. They didn’t want to leave, but they had no choice.”
He added: “I can’t guarantee we’re going to solve everything, but I can guarantee we can make everything better.”
Also during the press briefing, Biden revealed he is expecting to run for re-election in 2024.
He told reporters: “My answer is yes. My plan is to run for re-election. That’s my expectation.”
On St Patrick’s Day, Biden met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin and reaffirmed his support for the Good Friday Agreement.
He said last week he “strongly supports” the Good Friday Agreement, stating that it is “critically important” it is maintained.
He added: “The political economic stability of Northern Ireland is very much the interest of all our people.”
