Karine Jean-Pierre slammed for claiming border is ‘not open’ as Title 42 hangs in balance
Ryan King
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White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was criticized for claiming the border was not “open” and suggesting doubters enabled smugglers.
Jean-Pierre made her remarks during a press briefing Monday in which she sought to fend off criticisms of the ending of Title 42 that had been slated for Wednesday before the Supreme Court intervened.
‘EVERY STATE IS A BORDER STATE’: GLENN YOUNGKIN SOUNDS ALARM ON ENDING TITLE 42
“I want to be very clear here. The fact is that the removal of Title 42 does not mean the border is open,” Jean-Pierre declared. “Anyone who suggests otherwise is simply doing the work of these smugglers who, again, are spreading misinformation, which is very dangerous.”
Title 42 is a pandemic-era policy used under the Trump administration that permits border patrol to deny immigrants entry at the border to curb the spread of COVID-19. The restrictions were poised to be lifted Wednesday following a federal court ruling last week, but Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts pumped the brakes on Monday, leaving the policy in place while the high court evaluates an appeal to the lower court ruling.
If Title 42 is lifted, Border Patrol would likely lose its ability to expel hundreds of thousands of immigrants rapidly without hearing an asylum request.
“It would be wrong to think the border is open. It is not open,” Jean-Pierre added.
“A bold-faced lie,” Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) tweeted in response to Jean-Pierre’s remarks.
https://twitter.com/DanCrenshawTX/status/1604946338352865291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1604946338352865291%7Ctwgr%5Eb320b1b4766d1639687c4463cf4d614f3fa01d0c%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fmedia%2Fkarine-jean-pierre-faces-backlash-claiming-border-open-bold-faced-lie
“The only people who think the southern border isn’t ‘open’ are White House officials and regime media propagandists,” conservative commentator Buck Sexton wrote.
https://twitter.com/BuckSexton/status/1604930585650024448
“Lazy propaganda. Not even trying to fudge an excuse. Just telling us not to believe our lying eyes,” One America News Network host Addison Smith tweeted.
https://twitter.com/AddisonSmithOAN/status/1604936341870874625?s=20&t=MczUIQjB-SZaEkbMc8txlQ
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Multiple Republicans and Democrats alike have implored the Biden administration to extend the Title 42 policy. Some Democrats have also blamed Republicans and the Trump administration for the border woes, contending they previously scuttled immigration reform efforts.
“I’m not suggesting that it’s not going to be a challenge. But let’s understand why it is such a challenge,” Sen. Alex Padilla (D-CA) said over the weekend. “Because the prior 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.”