Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Press Secretary, responded Wednesday to Kevin McCarthy’s recent invitation to President Joe Biden visit the southern border. She said that the president had already “been there”
Jean-Pierre would not answer Fox News’ Peter Doocy exactly when Biden visited Mexico. Jen Psaki, the White House Press Secretary at the time, stated that the trip was an overnight drive in 2008. (RELATED : ‘This is Not Safe’: Dem Senators Call for Biden Administration To Rethink End of Trump-Era Major Border Policy
McCarthy accompanied a delegation of Republican colleagues to El Paso, Texas’ border on Nov. 22. There, he called Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), to resign or face possible impeachment. After meeting with Biden Tuesday, McCarthy extended his invitation and stated that Biden had asked him about the border situation.
The federal border authorities reported an increase in illegal migration to the southern border. There were more than 2.3 million encounters in fiscal 2022, and more that 230,000 in October.
“He’s been there. Jean-Pierre stated, “He’s been there.”
Doocy replied, “When did he get to the border?”
Jean-Pierre suggested then that Republicans are the problem, because they hold up immigration and border solutions within Congress. She said that Biden is currently working to solve the crisis.
Jean-Pierre stated that President Biden has taken action since he assumed office to secure our border and fix our immigration system. That’s why he introduced an immigration reform piece to address what is currently occurring at the border on day one. But, you know what? We’re not seeing that. Republicans, we don’t see a willingness to cooperate with us in fixing a situation that has been there for decades.”
“Instead they are doing political stunts. They’re doing political stunts, and that’s what they want to do. The president has secured unprecedented funding for the Department of Homeland Security [DHS], there are over 23,000 agents working at the border to secure it, we have taken thousands of smugglers from the streets, and we’re reducing the time required to process asylum applications. This is because of the actions of the president,” she said.
McCarthy’s office did not respond to a request for comment.
