White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked during a press briefing Friday several rounds of questions focused on the growing number of migrant children coming to the U.S. southern border.

She was asked specifically if the president felt his rhetoric on the campaign trail had contributed to the current spike in activity.

Psaki stressed the administration has sought to clarify that "this is not the time to come," but said by virtue of taking a different approach and allowing unaccompanied minors to stay, it “mathematically” makes sense that there would be an increase.

Despite the increase, Psaki unequivocally said the administration was not rethinking its policy when it comes to unaccompanied minors at the border.

"I think this issue requires us taking a step back as human beings and as mothers, of which I am one," Psaki said.

"They go through the processing system that everyone goes through, but we want to ensure that that is done by treating them humanely and with respect," Pskai said. "Many of them will be sent back home eventually, but we are talking about how we treat them as they come in the country."

Earlier in the day, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy sent a letter to Biden expressing "great concern" with the administration's approach to the "crisis" at the border and requested a meeting with the president on the issue.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

Biden sought to make a last-minute pitch Friday for his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan, currently under consideration in the Senate, during his briefing with economic advisers -- pointing to February’s jobs report as evidence that the massive package is “urgently needed.” 

“Our economy still has 9.5 million fewer jobs than it had this time last year," Biden said. "And at that rate, it would take two years to get us back on track.”

Biden said some of the growth last month came from the December COVID relief package, but said without additional resources the gains would diminish, highlighting that the expiration date for emergency unemployment benefit is less than two weeks away.

“We can’t afford one step forward and two steps backwards. We need to beat the virus, provide essential relief, and build an inclusive recovery. People need the help now. In less than two weeks, enhanced unemployment benefits will begin to expire for 11 million people,” Biden warned. 

Biden did not take any questions from the press ahead of the weekly briefing, which is expected to include an update on the jobs numbers released Friday, along with an update on unemployment by race and women's labor force participation, according to the White House. Members of Biden's economic team, including Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen and Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Cecilia Rouse, were also in attendance.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle

Biden will travel to Baltimore, Maryland, on Wednesday to hold an event with the CEOs of Johnson & Johnson and Merck in the wake of their historic partnership to produce more COVID-19 vaccines.

Earlier this week, Biden announced a partnership between the pharmaceutical giants to help produce J&J's newly authorized vaccine and said the partnership meant there would be enough vaccine doses for every American adult by the end of May.

The first amendment proposed during the marathon vote-a-rama for the COVID-19 relief bill, an amendment brought by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., to increase the federal minimum wage over to $15 an hour over five years, failed to be considered after a Senate procedural vote. Surprisingly, a whopping eight Democrats voted against consideration.  

Though it was a procedural vote on whether to set the rules aside and approve the amendment, it was a good indication of where support stands in the caucus. The vote was 42-58, which fell far short of the 60 votes needed.

Though the "no" votes from some moderate Democrats like Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.V., Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., and Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., were unsurprising, "no" votes from five other Democrats, Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., Tom Carper, D-Del., Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Sen. Angus King, D-Maine, and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., were unexpected.

"If any Senator believes this is the last time they will cast a vote on whether or not to give a raise to 32 million Americans, they are sorely mistaken," Sanders said in a statement after his amendment fell flat. "We’re going to keep bringing it up, and we’re going to get it done because it is what the American people demand and need.”

-ABC News' Trish Turner