During the presidential primary Debate in 2019, Biden declared that the United States is a country that tells people struggling under oppression or poor conditions, “you should come.” However, as his administration is dealing with the overwhelming surge of migrants on the southwestern border, many of them are kept in poor conditions.
Biden said in the presidential primary debate in 2019 that the United States is a country that invites people struggling under oppression or poor conditions to come in, as he argued for a more “open” asylum policy.
To potential migrants from Central America, Biden says on ABC, "I can say quite clearly don't come over." He adds: "Don't leave your town or city or community."
— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) March 16, 2021
However, the Democratic President seemed to have kept his promise with the consequence of keeping migrants, and asylum seekers in poor conditions, similar to those Democrats considered a “scandal” under the previous administration. Now, he is telling migrants to remain in place.
Biden also said in the 2019 debate of those applying for asylum, “They deserve to be heard. That’s who we are. We’re a nation that says, ‘You want to flee, and you’re fleeing oppression, you should come.'”
It is not surprising that a “Biden for President 2020” flag flies over a migrant camp on the southern border. With all the hopes and promises that Biden instilled in these migrants, they took the risk to make a trip to the United States now that the supposedly more “lenient” president won the election.
Yet, now that thesouthern border crisisr is getting more overwhelming and increasing day by day at an alarming rate, Biden has denied his campaign rhetoric and policies that fueled the immigration surge.
As Republican blames Biden’s campaign rhetoric and policies for the crisis at the border, Biden has shifted and is now telling migrants that they should STAY in their home countries as he aims to handle the situation in making them apply for asylum where they are.
In an interview with ABC News, President Biden said that his message to migrants is "don't come over" amid a surge of migrants and unaccompanied minors on the southern US border. https://t.co/Ohcj4vvYWB pic.twitter.com/ZblZeaKFJC
— OutFrontCNN (@OutFrontCNN) March 17, 2021
Biden told ABC News in an interview last week, “I can say quite clearly don’t come over.” He added, “So don’t leave your town or city or community. We’re gonna make sure we have facilities in those cities and towns run by the department of — by DHS and also access with HHS, the Health and Human Services, to say you can apply for asylum from where you are right now.”
Due to this statement that Biden made, the White House was pressed during Monday’s briefing.
When White House press secretary Jen Psaki was asked about Biden’s debate comment, she can only answer it with, “Sometimes there is language that is used by some that are not including the full context of his comments,”
Psaki added, “I will say that he still believes that he wants our country to be a place that there is asylum processing at the border. Where people are considered and go through a proper process, who are fleeing prosecution, which should be considered for immigration status.”
Biden’s White House press secretary was also quick to BLAME the current crisis at the border to the previous administration, stating that the immigration process as it currently stands “was broken by the last administration,” and Biden wants to pass immigration legislation.
Biden and his administration also claimed without basis that there was a significant surge of migrants under the Trump administration as well. A spokesperson from the White House also noted that “push forces,” including “violence, economic hardships, corruption plus two hurricanes and a global pandemic,” are driving people in Central America to the U.S.
