Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dodged a question posed by this reporter on whether the situation at the southern border constitutes a crisis during a press conference Wednesday.
Mayorkas held the press conference to discuss the department’s plan to handle the influx of migrants expected to cross the southern border when Title 42, the Trump-era expulsion order, ends on the evening of May 11. The situation is already worsening, with many Border Patrol processing centers over capacity, according to a document recently obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation. (RELATED: Biden Admin To Implement Asylum Restrictions Ahead Of Trump-Era Border Policy’s End)
“Mr. Secretary, is it a crisis? Will you call it a crisis now? Border Patrol processing centers are over capacity in many sectors,” This reporter asked as Mayorkas walked away from the podium, right past her and out of the room.
DHS Sec Mayorkas dodged my question today on whether the situation at the southern border constitutes a crisis
Here’s the video showing him walking away from the podium, right past me and out of the room.@DailyCaller https://t.co/ENgCeqU6KN pic.twitter.com/F1Myn75rHW
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) May 10, 2023
On multiple occasions Mayorkas has refused to label the situation at the southern border a crisis. During Wednesday’s pressure, he asserted that the border is “closed.”
“Let me be clear, the lifting of the Title 42 public health order does not mean our border is open. In fact, it is the contrary,” Mayorkas said.
WATCH: @JennieSTaer presses Sec. Mayorkas on border
“Mr. Secretary, is it a crisis? Will you call it a crisis now? Border Patrol processing centers are over capacity.”
MAYORKAS: “…”
Mayorkas walks off stage and refuses to answer. pic.twitter.com/Fz36UEB02b
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 10, 2023
The Biden administration plans to process migrants for refugee status in processing centers located in Latin America, limit asylum access and deploy 1,500 troops to the southern border.
During the press conference, a DHS official called on reporters during the question portion and marked a paper on a clipboard.
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