During his first official press conference as president Thursday afternoon, Joe Biden was asked about the catastrophic number of illegal immigrants and unaccompanied minors pouring across the border. He responded by saying he's "flattered" because the people coming think he's a "nice guy."
"I guess I should be flattered people are coming because I'm the nice guy. That's the reason why it's happening That I'm a decent man or however it's phrased because 'Biden is a good guy,'" Biden said. "The truth of the matter is, nothing has changed."
"It happens every single solitary year. There is a significant increase in the number of people coming to the border in the winter months of January, February, March. That happens every year," he continued. "The reason they're coming is that it's the time they're coming with the least likelihood of dying on the way because of the heat in the desert, number one. Number two, they're coming because of the circumstances in country."
Biden then went on to blame earthquakes and crime ridden conditions in the Northern Triangle for the current surge. He also called for an influx of $700 million to solve the problem "at its source."
President @JoeBiden on the border crisis:
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) March 25, 2021
"I guess I should be flattered people are coming because I am a nice guy...The truth of the matter is nothing has changed...It happens every single solitary year."
Biden then went on to blame President Trump for the crisis. pic.twitter.com/rQvy44C4BO
According to illegal immigrants crossing the border, they're doing it because they believe Biden will allow them to stay in the United States. Further, the administration is allowing illegal immigrants to go free inside the U.S. without court dates.
ABC's Martha Raddatz to illegal alien who crossed the border: "Would you have tried to do this when Donald Trump was president?"
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) March 21, 2021
Illegal alien: "Definitely not."
Raddatz: “Did you come here because Joe Biden was elected president?"
Illegal: “Basically” pic.twitter.com/OsxvdG8xO0
AMLO: "Expectations were created that with the Government of President Biden there would be a better treatment of migrants. And this has caused Central American migrants, and also from our country, wanting to cross the border thinking that it is easier to do so" pic.twitter.com/TNrZQamuWK
— José Díaz-Briseño (@diazbriseno) March 23, 2021
In his first week in office, Biden signed a series of executive orders promoting illegal immigration, stopping deportations and eliminating construction on the border wall.