After years of playing word games about border security, Joe Biden bragged about his open borders policy in a speech Thursday night to the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute 46th Annual Gala at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. Biden spoke as a new surge of migrants is pouring across the U.S. southern border.
Massive crowds pictured streaming across the US southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas on Sept. 18, 2023. (Bill Melugin video screengrab)
Biden boasted about all the steps he has taken to increase legal immigration and work permits and then said, “I’ve also directed my team to make a historic increase in the number of refugees admitted from Latin America — (applause) — people fleeing violence and persecution who simply want their kids to have a better life.”
Video clip posted by Greg Price:
Biden: “We’re significantly expanding legal pathways to entry so businesses can get workers they need. I’ve also directed my team to make historic increases in the number of refugees from Latin America.” pic.twitter.com/UXjVATOuBd
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 22, 2023
The Biden administration did a classic Friday dump of damaging statistics, this time involving record numbers of illegal alien encounters in a month set last August: 304,162.
BREAKING NEWS: Biden makes border history with highest illegal crossing attempts and paroles ever recorded in a month: 304,162 https://t.co/dgnUZeHlLh
— Anna Giaritelli (@Anna_Giaritelli) September 22, 2023
The Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli broke down the numbers (excerpt):
In August, 304,162 people were apprehended by Border Patrol while crossing the border illegally, were deemed inadmissible by customs officers at ports of entry, or used new Biden initiatives to bypass the border and fly under the umbrella of temporary parole, according to data published by U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Friday.
…At the southern border, 181,059 immigrants were arrested after walking around the ports of entry and crossing into the U.S. Approximately 74,000 of that number were single adults, 19,000 arrived with a family member, and 13,500 were unaccompanied children.
Customs officers at the southern border ports encountered 51,913 people who did not have documents to enter but may have claimed asylum.
Another approximately 20,000 immigrants were arrested on the northern border or deemed inadmissible at air, land, and sea ports up north.
The remaining 50,000-person difference is not specifically broken on CBP’s website but accounts for immigrants outside the U.S. who were granted humanitarian parole and allowed to fly into the country.
Today, CBP released August 2023 statistics for its primary mission areas related to protecting the American people, safeguarding our borders, and enhancing the nation’s economic prosperity.
Press release: https://t.co/xrt8TXLszO
Stats: https://t.co/zaPvUr5BwR pic.twitter.com/jmKDklBLfg
— CBP (@CBP) September 22, 2023
When asked by a reporter at Thursday’s press briefing how many illegal aliens crossing the border is enough for Joe Biden, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre struggled for an answer:
REPORTER: “How many people coming into this country is enough for president Biden?”
JEAN-PIERRE: “Enough for what?” pic.twitter.com/4Awzvx5dQS
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 21, 2023
Excerpt from the White House transcript of Biden’s speech:
And we have to finally fix the broken immigration system, for God’s sake. (Applause.)
First piece of legislation I introduced — on my first day in office, I sent an immigration reform bill to the Congress, one that recognizes immi- — immigrants’ contributions to this country and provides a pathway to citizenship for DREAMers, temporary status holders, farmworkers, and others. (Applause.)
We need our colleagues to act.
For decades, immigration reform had been a bipartisan [issue] in this country.
Unfortunately, the MAGA Republicans in Congress and my predecessor spent four years gutting the immigration system — under my predecessor.
They continue to undermine our border security today, blocking bipartisan reform.
So, until Congress acts, I’m going keep using every tool at my disposal as president of the United States to preserve and protect DACA, keep fighting for DREAMers, and build a safe, orderly, humane immigration system. (Applause.) I mean it.
First, we’ve put in place policies that process people in a fair and fast way.
Second, we’re significantly expanding legal pathways for entry so businesses can get the workers they need, families don’t have to wait for a decade to be together.
I’ve also directed my team to make a historic increase in the number of refugees admitted from Latin America — (applause) — people fleeing violence and persecution who simply want their kids to have a better life.
Next week, my team will consult with Congress on this plan.
Third, we’re supporting states and cities that have seen a surge in immigrants. We’ve developed federal experts and deployed them to help train city workers. We’ve launched outreach campaigns helping over a million eligible migrants apply for work permits. (Applause.) And we’re accelerating a process for work permit applications.
Right now, most migrants have to wait six months after filing their claim before they can go to work. Only Congress can change that.
But the Secretary of Homeland Security can take extraordinary action. And yesterday, given the poor conditions in Venezuela, Secretary Mayorkas announced temporary protections for hundreds of thousands — (applause) — of Venezuelans already in this country.
These migrants will be able to apply for a work permit. But that’s not all. We’ve already delivered over $1 billion that Congress appropriated to states and cities receiving immigrants — migrants.
I’ve requested more funding. But instead of stepping up with solutions, Republicans are threatening to shut down the government.
Now, I want you to think about this, man. Think how many people it’s going to hurt. Think of the people who are going to get hurt. It’s time to act.
Biden is criticizing Republicans for putting the welfare of Americans before the millions of illegal aliens he has willfully (and illegally) let in the country.
The post As Migrants Pour Across the Border in Record Numbers, Biden Brags It Is By Design: “I’ve also directed my team to make a historic increase in the number of refugees admitted from Latin America” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
