A new ICE report released on Friday revealed a whopping 6.2 million migrants have been released from federal custody, but ABC’s Good Morning America on Saturday acted as if the true hardship was the few thousand migrants recently bused to New York City, twice conveying the Democratic spin that Texas Governor Greg Abbott was guilty of “cruel and inhumane politics.”
If New York City finds a few thousand people overwhelming, what about border states that have had to deal with multiple millions of migrants every year since Joe Biden became President?
ABC’s opening tease showed their focus was limited to the concerns of Democratic mayor now inconvenienced by the faraway border crisis. Fill-in co-host Stephanie Ramos: “Migrant crisis: The pleas for help from mayors in major cities overwhelmed by busloads of asylum seekers, turning to the federal government for support, with the Texas governor accused of cruel and inhumane politics; his response this morning.”
Correspondent Morgan Norwood saw bus companies breaking the new rules released this week by New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “The mayor’s office says more than 7,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City in just the past two weeks,” Norwood explained, without telling viewers that those arriving in New York are just a tiny fraction of the estimated 276,000 border encounters thus far in December alone.
“Other major cities, also grappling with the surge,” Norwood continued, “including big city leaders from Chicago and Denver calling for federal support to help manage the flow, accusing Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott of cruel and inhumane politics as he buses migrants across the country.”
ABC’s on-screen graphic reinforced their partisan angle: “MAJOR CITIES OVERWHELMED; Democratic Mayors in New York, Denver, Chicago Plead for Federal Help.”
Norwood at least included a rebuttal from Abbott: “Governor Abbott firing back at the accusations, his spokesperson telling ABC news earlier this week, ‘...instead of attacking Texas’ efforts to provide relief to our overwhelmed border communities these Democrat mayors should call on their party leader to finally do his job and secure the border.’”
Abbott’s statement was the only hint in ABC's entire report that the Biden administration has failed to do its job when it comes to the border. And there was no mention of any of the damning numbers from an Immigration and Custom Enforcement report released late on Friday, December 29, detailing how out-of-control the border situation has become. Besides the 6.2 million migrants who have been paroled into the U.S., the report shows only about 200,000 were removed (142,580) or expelled (60,000) during FY2023, a fraction of the 2.4 million apprehensions.
Key excerpts from a FoxNews.com summary (Adam Shaw and Bill Melugin) posted December 29 (click expand):
The number of non-detained illegal immigrants has soared under the Biden administration amid a historic crisis at the southern border, a new report released Friday shows, even as deportations have climbed but have failed to keep pace with the surge at the border.
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) report for fiscal 2023 shows that the number of illegal immigrants on the non-detained docket has soared from 3.7 million in FY 2021 to nearly 4.8 million in FY 2022 to nearly 6.2 million in FY 2023.
...
The number of illegal immigrants being deported has increased, according to the report, but it is still a fraction of the increase in the illegal immigrant population. There were 142,580 removals in FY 23, up considerably from 72,177 in FY 22 and 59,011 in FY 21, but still down from the highs of 267,258 under the Trump administration in FY 19. ICE noted that the 142,580 removals were in addition to over 60,000 Title 42 expulsions in FY 23 at the border, some of whom it said would have otherwise been subject to deportation.
That’s at the same time as there were a record 2.4 million migrant apprehensions at the southern border. Those numbers have looked likely to continue, with Fox News reporting on Friday that December will shatter records for monthly encounters with over 276,000 encounters. Fox has previously reported that officials have said they are releasing around 5,000 illegal immigrants into the U.S. each day....
With the Biden administration and congressional Democrats stubbornly resisting tougher border policies, even risking aid to Ukraine and Israel, ABC’s failure to even mention this new ICE report is beyond derelict.
Here’s the full transcript of the December 30, 2023 GMA report (click expand)
# December 30, 2023
Good Morning America7am tease:
STEPHANIE RAMOS: Migrant crisis: The pleas for help from mayors in major cities overwhelmed by busloads of asylum seekers, turning to the federal government for support, with the Texas governor accused of cruel and inhumane politics; his response this morning.
7:14am report:Co-host STEPHANIE RAMOS: Back here at home, the border situation is pushing some of America’s cities to the brink as more buses of migrants arrive from Texas. ABC’s Morgan Norwood is here now with the latest. Morgan, good morning.
Correspondent MORGAN NORWOOD: Good morning to you, Stephanie. Yeah, the city says these buses full of migrants came in without warning, and now police are planning to stake out all of this as the city prepares to take action against the bus companies to deter more unplanned drop-offs.
This morning, more migrants arriving in New York City, bus after bus — at least six — pulling into the city’s Port Authority unannounced Friday morning, less than 48 hours after Mayor Eric Adams signed an executive order designed to slow the surge.
NYC Mayor ERIC ADAMS: We’re saying that between a certain period of time, you are allowed to drop off migrants in the city, but you’re going to do it at the location that we specify so we don’t overtax our resources, our manpower.
NORWOOD: The mayor’s sweeping executive order requires a 32-hour advance notice from bus companies with further restrictions on the hours they can drop off. The penalty for violations: possible misdemeanor charges; fines; and even buses being impounded. The mayor’s office says more than 7,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City in just the past two weeks. Other major cities, also grappling with the surge, including big city leaders from Chicago and Denver calling for federal support to help manage the flow, accusing Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott of cruel and inhumane politics as he buses migrants across the country.
Chicago Mayor BRANDON JOHNSON: The state of Texas has a responsibility to connect with municipalities around the country to help address and to deal with this crisis.
NORWOOD: Governor Abbott firing back at the accusations, his spokesperson telling ABC news earlier this week, “...instead of attacking Texas’ efforts to provide relief to our overwhelmed border communities these Democrat mayors should call on their party leader to finally do his job and secure the border.”
It comes on the heels of talks between the U.S. and Mexico this week, when Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Mexico’s President to discuss ways to limit the swell of migrants at the southern border. But Mexico’s President is pressing the U.S. for more aid.
And meanwhile, the pressure for action is growing as a caravan of thousands moves through Mexico toward the U.S. border. We also know that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is headed to the southern border in Eagle Pass, Texas, in the new year, on January 8th, he’ll meet with Customs and Border protection along with local officials, Gio.
Co-host GIO BENITEZ: So many watching this. Alright Morgan, thank you so much.
