White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had a tense exchange with Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy over a report that the Biden administration is considering legal frameworks for border restrictions similar to those used by former President Trump.
Doocy questioned how this aligns with Biden’s promise of more humane policies than Trump. Jean-Pierre sought clarification on the policy in question and deflected by blaming Republican obstruction.
Doocy said, “President Biden has promised a more humane border policy than Trump.”
He then asked, “So why would he even be considering now a border policy that is more similar to Trump?”
Jean-Pierre replied, “What border policy are you talking about?”
“Axios is reporting that the legal authority Biden is considering using powered Trump’s Muslim ban and similar sweeping restrictions at the border,” explained Doocy.
Jean-Pierre answered, “I’m not going to get into or comment on individual policy options that are being speculated right now.”
“We’ve been very clear about that, and we want to do it while treating people fairly and humanely, and that is consistent with our values. But look, Republicans continue to get in the way. Speaker Johnson has gotten in the way of this,” she continued.
An Axios report indicated Biden may restrict asylum claims through executive action, as the Senate negotiations have stalled.
According to Axios, “Trump wants to use Section 212f of the U.S. code, which grants the president broad power to ‘suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants’ if their entry ‘would be detrimental to the interests of the United States.'”
“Over the last year alone, the border saw 2.5 million crossings, involving millions of individuals. Many of these migrants have undertaken arduous travels, not only through Mexico but also from countries in Central and South America, and further afield,” the outlet continued.
This could echo Trump’s Muslim ban by invoking the president’s broad authority to suspend alien entry.
The situation at the US-Mexico border has seen record crossings over the past three years from migrants undertaking difficult journeys through Central and South America.
