White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed during a Monday press conference that the U.S.-Mexico border is “not open” — despite the fact that thousands of illegal aliens have crossed into the United States in recent days.
“It would be wrong to think that the border is open. It’s not open, and I just want to be very, very clear about that,” Jean-Pierre insisted.
Karine Jean-Pierre: “[The border] is not open.”
Lazy propaganda. Not even trying to fudge an excuse. Just telling us not to believe our lying eyes.pic.twitter.com/9GKEmL1oGt
— Addison Smith (@AddisonSmithOAN) December 19, 2022
Meanwhile, thousands of illegal aliens have flooded across the southern border in December, taking advantage of President Joe Biden’s lax border security policies and the weak deportation under his administration.
Breitbart News reports: “Earlier in December, 11,000 migrants were reportedly apprehended in one week by border officials, with another 3,200 escaping without getting arrested. In just one weekend, 7,400 migrants crossed into the border town of El Paso, prompting local officials to declare a state of emergency.”
The president himself has remained relatively silent about the border crisis, except to tell the American people earlier this month that there were “more important things going on” than the border when responding to a question from Fox News reporter Peter Doocy about why he refused to visit the border while on a trip to Arizona.
Jean-Pierre also responded to the issue of Title 42 — the Trump-era policy allowing rapid deportation of illegal aliens at the border — which at the time was expected to be lifted on Wednesday. Just hours after her press conference, Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts issued an administrative stay halting the lifting of Title 42, keeping the policy in place while the Department of Justice files a brief in response to a lawsuit from Republican-led states.
While an estimated 50,000 illegal aliens are waiting in Mexico to rush the border as soon as Title 42 is lifted, Jean-Pierre downplayed the notion that lifting the policy will encourage more illegal aliens to enter the United States.
“The fact that the removal of Title 42 is happening in just a day or two doesn’t mean the border is open,” the press secretary claimed.
Jean-Pierre went on to claim that the idea that it will be easier to cross the border if Title 42 is lifted is “misinformation.”
“We are doing the smuggler’s job if we spread misinformation,” she added.
At no point during her press conference did Jean-Pierre declare that the southern border is “closed” — instead using the phrase “not open” from her prepared talking points.
“We will continue to fully enforce our immigration laws in a fair, orderly, and humane manner,” the press secretary claimed.
Jean-Pierre also tried to dismiss the Biden administration’s role in the ending of Title 42.
Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich pushed back on the press secretary after she claimed that the administration is simply abiding by a court order to lift the policy — stating: “But the administration sought to lift it.”
“But it is a court order,” Jean-Pierre replied, trying to ignore Heinrich’s point.
“Started by you guys,” the reporter pushed back.
Jean-Pierre once again refused to acknowledge the Biden administration’s responsibility for the ruling, responding: “It was a court order that has been provided to us and so now we have to comply, we have to comply by December 21. It is a law.”
“So then you don’t support lifting Title 42?” Heinrich pressed.
The press secretary ultimately refused to answer the question, again stating that “it is a court order that has been presented to us that we are going to comply with.”
Reporter: “Aren’t you guys driving [lifting Title 42]…the administration sought to lift it.”
Karine Jean-Pierre: “It is a court order.”
Reporter: “So then you don’t support lifting Title 42?”
Jean-Pierre: "What I am saying is that…it is a court order." pic.twitter.com/27FTzWF3GO
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) December 19, 2022
