The Biden border crisis is worsening with each passing week and causing untold suffering for those living in border communities, such as Eagle Pass, Texas. The White House is trying to spin the crisis as being under control, with Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claiming that President Biden has taken “historic action” to fix the issue. However, during a press briefing on Thursday, she faced tough questions from a select group of reporters, including a scathing fact-check from Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin.
Melugin began his segment on America Reports by drawing attention to the disrespectful way Jean-Pierre shut down Fox’s Peter Doocy when he tried to ask a question about the border. She refused to let Doocy speak, even though he had an “important question” about the overwhelming numbers of illegal immigrants crossing into the country. This behavior speaks to the White House’s attempts to manipulate the narrative and ignore the severity of the situation.
When asked about the possibility of expanding temporary protected status to Venezuelan illegal immigrants, Jean-Pierre deflected and instead blamed Republicans for wanting “drugs flowing into the country.” Doocy then tried to interject with another question, but Jean-Pierre again silenced him. This was a clear attempt to keep the focus off of the Biden administration’s failures and put the blame on the opposing party.
Melugin noted that just three weeks ago, Jean-Pierre was claiming that the administration was “stopping the flow” at the border. Yet, the scenes from Eagle Pass tell a different story. Melugin noted that the town has been completely overrun with thousands of illegal immigrants, and the Democratic mayor is now begging the administration to take action and tell immigrants that there will be consequences for crossing the border illegally.
The border crisis has only worsened in recent weeks, with the numbers of illegal crossings reaching new highs. Despite this, the White House continues to downplay the situation and offer excuses for the surge. When asked how many illegal immigrants would be enough for the President to take action, Jean-Pierre played dumb and shrugged, saying that this is an ongoing issue that cannot be solved unless Republicans cooperate.
During his segment, Melugin also fact-checked Jean-Pierre’s claims from past briefings, including her statements that they have reduced illegal immigration by 90% and that “nobody is walking across the river.” He also highlighted the absurdity of her blaming climate change and authoritarian regimes for the surge in numbers, stating that in his two years covering the border, not a single migrant has mentioned either of these as a reason for coming to the US. The reality, according to Melugin, is that these immigrants are here for work, to reunite with family, or to flee from oppressive governments.
In response to a question from CBS’s Ed O’Keefe, Jean-Pierre once again shifted the blame onto outside factors, such as seasonal trends and the Darién Gap, instead of taking responsibility for the administration’s failed policies and ineffective solutions. Melugin noted that Border Patrol agents are frustrated with the current state of affairs and simply want to be allowed to enforce the laws that are already in place.
The bottom line is that the Biden administration’s handling of the border crisis has been a disaster. They have no real solutions and refuse to acknowledge the severity of the situation. The people of Eagle Pass and other border towns are bearing the brunt of their failures, while the administration continues to deflect and blame others for the mess they have created.
It is high time for them to take responsibility and take real action to secure the border and protect the American people. As Melugin stated, “it’s just a mess” and it’s clear that the Biden administration is not equipped to handle it.