White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was forced to answer questions on Monday about the “inhumane conditions” migrant children are experiencing at the U.S.’s detention facilities.
“There were lawyers who interviewed some children that were in facilities,” said progressive reporter Yamiche Alcindor. “The children described sleeping on the floor, being hungry, not seeing the sun for days. How is that acceptable for the Biden administration to keep children in those sorts of conditions, given the fact that you said you were an administration that was going to be more humane than the previous one?”
Psaki's response was to point fingers at the Trump administration.
“We are trying to work through what was a dismantled and unprepared system because of the role of the last administration,” Psaki said. “It’s going to take some time, but we are very clear-eyed about what the problems are, and very focused on putting forward solutions.”
Alcindor pushed back, wondering how it’s “acceptable” that the conditions for children continue. “Why is that something that’s not being outlawed right now? How is the administration not stopping that today?” she asked.
“Well, Yamiche, it’s not acceptable,” Psaki replied. “But I think the challenge here is that there are not that many options.”
Even Yamiche Alcindor is calling out the Biden White House for inhumane conditions forced upon children at the border (hungry, sleeping on floor, can't go outside). Jenn Psaki spins as best as she can and tries to blame President Trump. This is despicable spin and transparent. pic.twitter.com/3qesGhhPFn
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) March 16, 2021
The current border crisis, upgraded to a disaster, has been in large part due to Biden’s positions on immigration reform.
The president campaigned on easing immigration controls, including a moratorium on deportations, an end to former President Donald Trump’s “wait in Mexico” policy for asylum-seekers and halting construction of the border wall. That platform gave migrants good reason to believe it would be easier to get into the United States if he were elected.
Since taking office, Biden has also given them good reason to think they might be allowed to stay, as his immigration bill would offer legal status and a pathway to citizenship to much of the U.S. undocumented population. (NBC News)
The House will vote this week on immigration reform legislation, which former Acting DHS Secretary Chad Wolfe has criticized as a progressive “wish list” that only incentivizes illegal border crossers.