Staff Reports
In a classic display of Biden’s off-the-cuff claim-making, the President proclaimed that border crossings are now lower than during the tail end of the Trump administration. This statement was delivered amidst a grandstanding moment in the Oval Office, meant to bolster his so-called legacy while simultaneously disengaging from the tumultuous political fray of 2020. However, experts have taken a sharp axe to this claim, making it clear that the data tells a starkly different story.
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) released data showing that 130,419 unauthorized migrants waltzed across the southern border in June 2023, a number that dwarfs the 73,994 recorded in December 2020, the last month of Trump’s presidency. January 2021 wasn’t a walk in the park for border security either, with Trump and Biden sharing the spotlight at a more modest 78,414. It seems the only thing lower than Biden’s border numbers is the public’s confidence in his administration’s handling of the crisis.
Border Patrol numbers undermine Biden claims in Oval Office speechhttps://t.co/P4EUE8quiG pic.twitter.com/S8jPuatl8F
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) July 25, 2024
The White House promptly jumped to the President’s defense, clarifying that Biden wasn’t referring to overall border crossings but a specific subset—those apprehended between ports of entry. This is akin to claiming victory in a football game because you only counted the first half and ignored the second. The details mattered, or so they insisted, yet even the figures for Border Patrol apprehensions reveal a different narrative: 82,536 apprehensions in June, surpassing December’s 71,141 and January’s 75,316. It’s a scenario where the numbers don’t play nice with Biden’s narrative.
Andrew R. “Art” Arthur, a former immigration judge, weighed in on the matter, indicating that Biden’s proclamations stretched the truth like a rubber band about to snap. He pointed out that the President’s figures conveniently overlooked the migrants he is effectively paroling into the country. Those up to 1,450 migrants daily, who can waltz through the ports if they’ve simply made an appointment, don’t make for good headlines but are a critical component of the ongoing border chaos.
Considering these 1,450 additional entries, the daily total of crossing under Biden ballooned to a staggering 3,200, which certainly outpaces any numbers from January 2021. Arthur hammered home the point that understanding border encounters isn’t just about numbers; it’s about the catch-and-release policies that have largely replaced Trump-era tactics. During Trump’s final days, over 95% of unauthorized migrants were either detained or turned away immediately. Meanwhile, under Biden, many face rapid releases, contributing to the full-blown border circus we witness today.
It’s no wonder cities across the nation, including New York, are up in arms over the influx of migrants. With 88.5% of those apprehended being released rather than removed, the problem isn’t just at the border, it’s spilling over into cities nationwide. The administration’s attempts at rebranding the border situation as “under control” would be laughable if it weren’t so serious. The narrative spun by Biden is not just misleading; it borders on downright fantasy, proving once again that when it comes to the border crisis, facts have become the convenient casualty of political rhetoric.
