Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy questioned White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre regarding President Biden’s border policies and the consideration of executive actions to address the ongoing crisis. Jean-Pierre attempted to blame House Republicans, particularly Speaker Mike Johnson, for hindering the White House’s efforts to address the immigration situation.
The potential use of an executive action known as Section 212f, which resembles policies implemented by former President Donald Trump, was discussed. This action could be used to turn away asylum seekers and limit migrants’ ability to claim asylum. Doocy pointed out the shift in Biden’s stance, questioning what had changed since the president’s previous statements encouraging those fleeing oppression to come to the border.
Jean-Pierre responded, expressing confusion about the question but emphasizing the seriousness with which Biden is addressing the border crisis and the broken immigration system. She placed blame on House Republicans, accusing them of obstructing the White House’s attempts to address the issue.
Doocy further inquired about why Biden would consider policies similar to those of Trump, especially after promising a more humane border policy. He referred to Axios reporting on the legal authority Biden is contemplating, similar to what empowered Trump’s Muslim ban and other border restrictions.
Jean-Pierre refrained from commenting on Biden’s potential policies but emphasized the need for increased border security and humane treatment of migrants. She redirected the question to Speaker Johnson, accusing him of impeding efforts to secure the border by voting against a border bill that aimed to allocate funds for border security and impose measures if a certain number of migrants entered the U.S. daily. The bill, which also included provisions for funding Ukraine and Israel, was narrowly blocked by Senate Republicans in a 49-50 vote. Johnson deemed it “dead on arrival” in the House.
