When looking at how the Regime Media report on any of the given issues of the day, you can be certain that the truest, purest victim of any of the calamities of the day is always going to be the electoral prospects of one Joseph Robinette Biden, Junior. There is no other rationale that could underlie the ridiculous and servile coverage accorded to President Biden’s executive order on the border, three years into the border crisis.
And among the network evening newscasts, there is none more servile than ABC Whirled News Tonight. Here’s how they opened their newscast- by making certain that viewers heard the term “shut down” as often as possible:
DAVID MUIR: But we do begin tonight with President Biden taking drastic action on immigration and on the U.S./Mexico border. Strictly limiting the asylum process set to close the border to migrants crossing illegally when asylum numbers hit more than 2,500 along the border in between legal ports of entry. The president saying he had no choice but to take executive action, because he says Republicans in Congress rejected the bipartisan bill they negotiated themselves in the Senate, containing many of the very reforms Republicans had been demanding. They rejected it at the urging of Donald Trump. Of course, immigration and crossings at the border, a key issue in this presidential election. So, the question tonight, how soon could the border be shut down? ABC's Rachel Scott leading us off at The White House tonight.
RACHEL SCOTT: President Biden taking sweeping executive action to address the crisis at the border, announcing plans to strictly limit the asylum process in a move that will temporarily close the border to migrants crossing illegally, at midnight tonight.
JOE BIDEN: I've come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do -- take the necessary steps to secure our border.
SCOTT: It comes after Republicans in Congress rejected a tough bipartisan border deal at the urging of Donald Trump, who wants to run on the issue. Under today's new executive action, when migrant apprehensions average 2,500 a day over the course of a week, the asylum process for people crossing illegally would automatically shut down.
ABC made sure that the term “shut down” got into the report three times, in addition to other similar terms such as “close the border” and “strictly limit”. Of course, the executive order does no such thing inasmuch as it codifies a daily average of 2,499 illegal crossings before the alleged “shut down” takes effect. And then there is the loophole for women and unaccompanied minors, through which a fleet of trucks can be driven. But the Precious must be protected, so “shut down” it is.
CBS Evening News had the decency of abstaining from using this particular bit of hyperbole during their team coverage, headed by Nancy Cordes who focused on the politics side. A common theme throughout was the blaming of Republicans for Biden having to sign an executive order, without also noting that Biden ripped the border open via executive orders. There was also plenty of mention across the dial of the failed Senate border bill that would’ve codified a daily average of 4,999 illegal crossings before requiring border action, plus express asylum and a backdoor pathway to citizenship. But no mention at all of the House-passed H.R. 2. Republicans did pass a bill, just not the one Biden or his media wanted.
While CBS avoided the term “shut down”, there was other, more unfortunate hyperbole.
LILIA LUCIANO: What is the consequence of deterrence policies from where you stand?
JOANNA WILLIAMS: Different policies have been sort of in effect for over 20 years here at the border, and what they lead to is an increase in deaths. Their other option is to try to go out into the desert and avoid finding Border Patrol, and this is two days before our first heat wave of the summer.
That’s right. People will DIE as a result of Biden’s executive order if CBS is to be believed.
NBC Nightly News, at least, offers their viewers a modicum of intellectual honesty along with their Biden apologia.
LESTER HOLT: Good evening and welcome. President Biden tonight sidestepping Congress and taking his own action to sharply tighten controls at the southern border. With his signature alone, the president using his executive authority to shut down asylum requests when the average daily number of illegal crossings between ports of entry exceeds 2500. Tonight that average number tops 4,000, putting the new directive into immediate effect. The president looking to turn the tables on Republicans on an issue that has left him politically vulnerable.
At the end of the day, it’s always about the politics.
Click “expand” to view the full transcripts of the aforementioned reports as aired on their respective evening network newscasts on Tuesday, June 4th, 2024:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT:
ABC WORLD NEWS TONIGHT
6/4/24
6:32:33
DAVID MUIR: But we do begin tonight with President Biden taking drastic action on immigration and on the U.S./Mexico border. Strictly limiting the asylum process set to close the border to migrants crossing illegally when asylum numbers hit more than 2,500 along the border in between legal ports of entry. The president saying he had no choice but to take executive action, because he says Republicans in Congress rejected the bipartisan bill they negotiated themselves in the Senate, containing many of the very reforms Republicans had been demanding. They rejected it at the urging of Donald Trump. Of course, immigration and crossings at the border, a key issue in this presidential election. So, the question tonight, how soon could the border be shut down? ABC's Rachel Scott leading us off at The White House tonight.
RACHEL SCOTT: President Biden taking sweeping executive action to address the crisis at the border, announcing plans to strictly limit the asylum process in a move that will temporarily close the border to migrants crossing illegally, at midnight tonight.
JOE BIDEN: I've come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do -- take the necessary steps to secure our border.
SCOTT: It comes after Republicans in Congress rejected a tough bipartisan border deal at the urging of Donald Trump, who wants to run on the issue. Under today's new executive action, when migrant apprehensions average 2,500 a day over the course of a week, the asylum process for people crossing illegally would automatically shut down. They would no longer be allowed to stay in the United States while their claims are being processed.
BIDEN: Doing nothing is not an option. We have to act. We must act consistent with both our law and our values, our values as Americans.
SCOTT: The restrictions would only be lifted when apprehensions drop to 1,500 a day or less for two weeks. We haven't seen numbers that low in years. The president says there would be limited exceptions for unaccompanied children and victims of human trafficking. And he insists his position on immigration is far different than Donald Trump.
BIDEN: I will never demonize immigrants. I will never refer to immigrants as poisoning the blood of a country. And further, I'll never separate children from their families at the border.
SCOTT: Today, Trump says Biden is only doing this because he's desperate.
TRUMP: Crooked Joe Biden is pretending to finally do something about the border, but in fact, it's all about show, because he knows we have a debate coming up in three weeks. The truth is that Joe Biden's executive order won't stop the invasion. It's weak and it's pathetic.
SCOTT: Progressive Democrats warn Biden's move could backfire.
PRAMILA JAYAPAL: They think it's going to bring Republicans over or some independents. I don't think it does. And I think in the end, we ended up hurting the very people that we're fighting for.
SCOTT: But the mayor of Laredo, who stood with Biden today at the White House, tells me the president had no choice.
What type of impact is this going to have where you live?
VICTOR TREVINO: Well, first of all, we don't have all the resources to deal with the migrants coming to our border, especially medical services, who are medically underserved as it is. And we don't have a lot of infrastructure. And being able to deal with poverty and people that are homeless would be another situation that we don't want to have that happen in our community.
SCOTT: David, this new policy will be triggered when the daily average of migrant apprehensions exceeds 2,500 for the week. Tonight, administration officials tell us we have already passed that threshold, which means starting tonight at midnight, the border will temporarily be shut down for migrants trying to enter the United States illegally, and claim asylum. David?
MUIR: So this starts in just hours. Rachel Scott at The White House. Rachel, thank you.
CBS EVENING NEWS:
CBS EVENING NEWS
6/3/24
6:30 PM
JAMES BROWN: In just hours at 12:01 A.M. Eastern time, President Biden's aggressive new border restrictions take effect. I'm James Brown in for Norah O'Donnell. The impact of this executive action will be immediate. Soon, U.S. Immigration officials will be authorized to deport large numbers of migrants without processing their asylum claims. The restrictions will stay in effect until illegal crossings dipped below 1500 migrants a day, and they will be triggered again if crossings spike. We have team coverage from the border to The White House, and that's where we start, with CBS's Nancy Cordes. Nancy, this is a dramatic election-year move. What does this mean?
NANCY CORDES: J.B., what this means is that starting tomorrow, most migrants who cross the border illegally will not be allowed to seek U.S. asylum or remain in the U.S. They will be sent back to Mexico or their home country, and this will continue until illegal crossings drop to a level we have not seen in years.
JOE BIDEN: The Republicans have left me no choice.
CORDES: Flanked by border officials and Democratic governors, President Biden announced sweeping restrictions to the decades-old asylum system.
BIDEN: This ban will remain in place until the number of people trying to enter illegally is reduced to a level that our system can effectively manage.
CORDES: The rate of illegal crossings has fallen from its peak last winter, but remains historically high. And polls show immigration is a top issue for voters, who consistently give Donald Trump higher marks.
DONALD TRUMP: On day one, we will seal the border.
CORDES: But progressives in Congress argued that today's move by Biden undermined American values, and abandoned people fleeing violence and unstable conditions. While Republicans, who have urged Biden to take executive action, slammed him today for doing just that.
TED CRUZ: Why didn't you do this in 2021? Why didn't you do this in 2022?
MIKE JOHNSON: If he was concerned about the border he would have done this a long time ago.
CORDES: The restrictions are sure to face legal challenges. The ACLU telling CBS News today, "We intend to sue. A ban on asylum is illegal, just as it was when Trump unsuccessfully tried it." Biden insisted his approach is more humane than Trump's.
BIDEN: I'll never separate children from their families at the border. I will not ban people from this country because of their religious beliefs.
CORDES: My colleague, Lilia Luciano, is at the border near Tucson, Arizona, one of the busiest sectors for migrant crossings this year.
LILIA LUCIANO: We’ve just crossed into to Nogales, Mexico, to hear about what this executive order means for folks on this side of the border.
JOANNA WILLIAMS: I think it’s devastating.
LUCIANO: Joanna Williams runs the Kino Border Initiative, serving migrants in Nogales, Mexico.
WILLIAMS Wwll, what's been interesting in the last several months is- it actually hasn't been that busy here and in this sector the numbers have been going down. The timing of this order is, therefore, purely political.
LUCIANO: You've been here since October of last year? People like Pedro Solis wait as long as eight months for an appointment to ask for asylum using a U.S. government app, with no luck, many giving up.
WILLIAMS: So the problem right now isn't that people don't want to use the CBP One app, they are applying for an appointment every single day. But there aren't enough appointments available. And again, this order doesn't increase that number of appointment availability at all.
LUCIANO: What is the consequence of deterrence policies from where you stand?
WILLIAMS: Different policies have been sort of in effect for over 20 years here at the border, and what they lead to is an increase in deaths. Their other option is to try to go out into the desert and avoid finding Border Patrol, and this is two days before our first heat wave of the summer.
LUCIANO: And today, Arizona lawmakers passed a proposal to ask voters in November whether to make crossing unlawfully from Mexico into the state a state crime. JB.
BROWN: Lilia Luciano and Nancy Cordes, thank you so much.
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS:
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS
6/4/24
6:31 PM
LESTER HOLT: Good evening and welcome. President Biden tonight sidestepping Congress and taking his own action to sharply tighten controls at the southern border. With his signature alone, the president using his executive authority to shut down asylum requests when the average daily number of illegal crossings between ports of entry exceeds 2500. Tonight that average number tops 4,000, putting the new directive into immediate effect. The president looking to turn the tables on Republicans on an issue that has left him politically vulnerable. In his remarks announcing the new order, President Biden saying “doing nothing is not an option”, and that he would have preferred to address this issue through bipartisan legislation. But many Republicans in Congress tonight dismissing the president's actions as too little, too late. Our Julia Ainsley is at the border in Texas with more.
JULIA AINSLEY: Facing fierce criticism of his handling of the border crisis, President Biden tonight unveiling new executive action.
JOE BIDEN: This action will help us gain control of our border.
AINSLEY: The executive order will bar many migrants who cross the border illegally from requesting asylum when illegal crossings are over 2500 per day, like they have been for the past three years. The restrictions last until they dip below 1500 per day.
BIDEN: They choose to come without permission and against the law, they'll be restricted from receiving asylum and staying in the United States. .
AINSLEY: It's 3:30 P.M. in Hidalgo, Texas, and this bus is transporting migrants who just came through the border wall. They'll be able to claim asylum, but those who cross after midnight will not. But there are exceptions to the restrictions, including unaccompanied children. Plus, migrants can still request asylum at ports of entry. Today's move comes after a record nearly 10 million migrants have crossed into the U.S. since President Biden took office. Our recent poll shows just 28% of Americans approve of President Biden's handling of the border. Today, the president blaming Republicans for blocking a bipartisan border security bill.
BIDEN: I've come here today to do what the Republicans in Congress refuse to do, take the necessary steps to secure our border.
AISLEY: But Republicans say Biden sparked the crisis by reversing Trump border policies, blasting today's movie as an election year stunt.
MIKE JOHNSON: He can close the border down entirely. He is not going to do that. He has no interest in doing that. They want it wide open. So this weak measure here, don't be fooled.
AINSLEY: While some Democrats also slamming the president's action.
NANNETTE BARRAGAN: It's not a time for us to turn to Trump-era policies. It's not time to go and use the tools that Trump used.
AINSLEY: Today we met a Venezuelan family who entered at a port of entry this morning. Using the CBP One app created by the Biden administration to book appointments for asylum screenings. They said they slept on the streets in Mexico while waiting. (SPANISH: How long were you waiting?) How long were you waiting? "Seven months and six days" he tells us, saying he came to the U.S. to work to feed his young family.
HOLT: And Julia, we're already expecting legal challenges to this executive order.
AINSLEY: Yes, Lester. The ACLU is threatening to sue, saying this order prevents migrants from exercising their right to claim asylum. Meanwhile, Border Patrol agents I’ve talked to say they're worried about a logjam- when migrants who can not claim asylum can not be deported fast enough. Lester.
HOLT: Julia Ainsley starting us off, thank you.
