Later this week, Title 42 is to come to an end, per a judge's order. So much chaos is the end of the program expected to bring that even Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) has raised concerns about the influx of immigrants that is sure to come. The senator he appointed to replace Vice President Kamala Harris, who was also elected last month, is another story, however. While speaking with Martha Raddatz on ABC News' "This Week," Sen. Alex Padilla was largely dismissive of such concerns, as he spoke of it as it had to do with "the COVID-19 pandemic as health policy" and called it "past time" to be gone.
Acknowledging that the program is to come to an end, Padilla seemed mighty confident in the Biden administration's ability to prepare for the surge of immigrants, despite how disastrous the border has been handled during President Joe Biden's presidency.
"The administration has made it clear that while Title 42 is technically lifted, they're ready to put in place a system at the border that keeps them fairer but also more orderly and more safe," he offered.
When reminded by Raddatz that even Newsom is concerned, Padilla claimed that "I’m not suggesting that it's not going to be a challenge," and then went on place the blame on the Trump administration for supposedly having "starved the very departments and agencies of the resources they need, not just to patrol the border but to process these lawful asylum claims."
Padilla wasn't merely carrying water for the Biden administration, he was also repeating many of their same talking points. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre similarly and ridiculously claimed that this administration was doing better than the previous one on the issue.
Ahead of expected end of Title 42, Sen. Alex Padilla tells @MarthaRaddatz that the Trump administration “starved the very departments and agencies of the resources they need, not just to patrol the border but to process these lawful asylum claims.” https://t.co/nTsg6DxGgm pic.twitter.com/ITw4hXptI5
— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) December 19, 2022
Numbers don't lie, though. Under the Biden presidency, there have been far higher border encounters than under Trump's presidency. In fact, Biden has seen record-high numbers.
Furthering how little--if at all--Padilla prioritizes the concerns with a surge in illegal immigrants, the senator instead emphasized what he and Newsom agree on, while promoting how California handles how it processes "asylum seekers," to also offer where it is that Americans supposedly support him and his party's position on the issue.
"Most Americans understand and appreciate there are people who want to come to the United States for a number of reasons. That's why we have student visa programs. That’s why we have work visa programs," Padilla offered. On asylum seekers in particular, Padilla pointed out that "it is lawful for someone seeking violence -- fleeing violence, excuse me, fleeing violence, fleeing poverty, fleeing for their lives to come to the United States seeking asylum, and it's our obligation to consider that and make a determination."
"I appreciate Governor Newsom’s frustration," Padilla claimed, going on to share how California "is a prime example" in that "more than a billion dollars of state funds going into humanitarian assistance for asylum seekers." The senator even demanded that the federal government focus on another priority, in that they "should be investing more in that humane treatment of asylum seekers."
As Katie highlighted in a column from Sunday, though, the same day that Padilla made his appearance on "This Week," there are problems with that current process:
The only real solution to the current crisis is to reform the asylum process and raise the bar for asylum qualification beyond a simple statement of "I'm in fear." The vast majority of illegal immigrants crossing into the U.S. are pursuing economic opportunities and are not "in fear." Instead, they've been coached over and over again by cartel smugglers to fraudulently repeat the line, which is accepted as "proof" of an initial asylum claim.
It was these immigrants whom Padilla again asked when providing a non-answer to Raddatz's question about whether there will be any kind of order when it comes to an even greater surge.
"Again, we will -- I’m sure -- see the departments and to make every effort to maintain the safety, the orderliness, the fairness of people seeking asylum or having other determinations that they're coming for other reasons or in other places," he responded.
Raddatz also spoke with Gov. Greg Abbott (R-TX) earlier in the program, and, as Julio highlighted earlier, actually blamed him and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-FL) for the surge of illegal immigrants, while at the same time defending Biden.
According to RealClearPolitics, Biden has just a 36.8 percent approval rating on immigration, while 58.4 percent disapprove.
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