Fox Business’ Edward Lawrence cornered White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during Thursday’s briefing, challenging her directly on the record numbers of illegal immigrants who continue to flood the southern border.
Lawrence pressed Jean-Pierre on the issue several times, asking just how many President Joe Biden intended to allow before he pushed his own administration to do anything about it.
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“How many people coming into this country illegally is enough for President Biden then?” Lawrence asked, and Jean-Pierre asked him to repeat the question.
“How many people come — how many people illegally coming into the United States is enough for President Biden’s administration?” Lawrence asked again.
“I don’t — what do you —” Jean-Pierre appeared to struggle with her answer.
“Well, five —” Lawrence tried again.
“— Enough for what?” Jean-Pierre continued.
Lawrence tried again: “— 5.9 million people have been encountered illegally.”
“I know the numbers, but enough for what?” Jean-Pierre asked.
“Enough — just to stop the flow,” Lawrence replied.
Jean-Pierre pivoted back to her regular talking points on the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that the immigration system had been “broken” since long before President Biden took office — and blaming Republicans for not rolling over and accepting the Biden administration’s approach to border security.
“As I mentioned, a problem that’s been around for some time now — for decades, a broken system. The president has done everything and is going to continue what — to do what he can without the help of some Republicans in Congress to deal with this issue,” she said. “Look, we are going to continue to implement a strategy that is humane, that is safe, and that is orderly. … That is a promise you can see from this president. Again, GOP, the Republicans, put up a continuing resolution that actually reverses the work that [Biden] is trying to do. Makes the situation worse, that’s what they were trying to push … [R]ight now, the President is doing it on his own.”
Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin directly refuted Jean-Pierre’s claims, saying that those crossing the border illegally “don’t have a fear” of any negative repercussions and absolutely believed that the southern border was “open.”
“I’ve made notes on what [KJP] has said at that — at the podium before. She has falsely stated that they ‘reduced illegal immigration by 90%.’ She said that ‘nobody is walking across the river.’ That is also false,” Melugin said. “She said they are ‘stopping the flow.’ That is also false. And … she said President Biden has done more than anybody to secure the border. I’ll — you know, our viewers can decide the answer, but the numbers have never been higher. Border Patrol agent morale has never been lower.”
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