Tipsheet

Democratic Lawmaker Says He's Been 'Warning' White House About Border Crisis

Leah Barkoukis
Leah Barkoukis  |  March 19, 2021 9:01 AM

It’s not just Republicans sounding the alarm about the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, some Democratic lawmakers are, too. 

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) said he’s “been warning” the Biden administration since the president’s inauguration about the border crisis, telling MSNBC they need to have better messaging that clearly gets across to migrants to not come. 

He went on to tell host Chuck Todd that he’s been “calling the White House” since the end of January to describe “what’s happening on the ground.” 

This is based on Cuellar’s firsthand knowledge of the situation since he’s not just a visitor to the border but lives there. “I’m seeing the numbers,” he said. 

“I’ve been warning the administration … You can’t say ‘don’t come now, come later.’ That’s a bad message. It’s got to be clear and concise. Don’t come in here illegally. That should be the message,” he argued. 

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The administration doesn’t appear to be taking the lawmaker’s advice. Instead, Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that they’re actually planning to make things easier for migrants. 

“[W]e’re in the process of getting set up, and it’s not going to take a whole long time, is to be able to apply for asylum in place," Biden said. "So don’t leave your town or city or community, we’re going to make sure we have facilities in those cities and towns, run by the DHS and also access with HHS, the Health and Human Services to say, you can apply for asylum from where you are right now."

Meanwhile, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas promises the U.S. “will care for” minors.

“Some loving parents might send their child to traverse Mexico alone, to reach the southern border, our southern border,” he said. “I hope they don’t undertake that perilous journey, but if they do, we will not expel that young child. We will care for that young child and unite that child with a responsible parent. That is who we are as a nation, and we can do it.”

With messages like those, it’s no wonder the administration has an immigration crisis on its hands unlike any other in the last 20 years.