In a major case of media malpractice, on Friday, ABC’s Good Morning America had an exclusive interview with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and failed to ask a single question about the ongoing illegal immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border. Instead, co-host Michael Strahan chatted with the Biden administration cabinet member about Memorial Day weekend travel and mask mandates on airplanes.
“And joining us now exclusively with more on the surge in travel is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas,” announced Strahan as the softball exchange began, treating the head of DHS as if he were Transportation Secretary or the network’s travel correspondent. The morning show anchor wondered: “And Mr. Mayorkas, with more than 2.5 million Americans expected to fly this holiday weekend, is the TSA ready for this spike or should travelers expect long lines and longer delays?”
Continuing to steer the conversation away from the border crisis, Strahan focused on how to punish Americans who refused to wear masks on public transportation or misbehaved on airplanes:
And we saw in our piece that masks are still required at airports and also on airplanes. The CDC, they relaxed their mandates. Several states, or many states, have also relaxed their mask mandates as well. Do you expect to see the same for public transportation soon?...And we’ve seen a dramatic spike in violence on planes, with 2,500 cases of allegedly unruly passengers so far this year. And many of these passengers, it comes from refusing to wear their masks. The Flight Attendants Union, they complained about the uptick in violence against their members. When you say you’re not going to tolerate unruly behavior, what specifically will you do to stop it?
In his final question to the man charged with protecting the nation’s borders, Strahan stuck to pandemic procedures: “Looking ahead to summer, Europe, other countries, they’re going to open up. Could we see vaccine passports to travel internationally either into or out of the U.S.?”
Strahan warmly thanked Mayorkas for his time as he wrapped up the friendly chat: “I love your message about having patience on this very busy weekend, thank you.”
This interview void of any tough questions about the administration’s mishandling of immigration came amid all three broadcast networks maintaining steadfast silence on the topic. Thursday’s Special Report on Fox News actually featured an exclusive report detailing how illegal immigrants were scaling border walls while ABC, NBC, and CBS looked the other way.
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Here is a full transcript of the May 28 interview:
7:06 AM ET
MICHAEL STRAHAN: And joining us now exclusively with more on the surge in travel is the Secretary of Homeland Security, Alejandro Mayorkas, who also oversees the TSA. Thank you for joining us this morning. And Mr. Mayorkas, with more than 2.5 million Americans expected to fly this holiday weekend, is the TSA ready for this spike or should travelers expect long lines and longer delays?
[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Homeland Security Secretary on Travel Surge; What to Expect at the Airport This Holiday Weekend]
ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS [DHS SECRETARY]: Good morning, Michael. We’re very excited about the re-emergence of travel, the chance for Americans to reunite with family and friends whom they haven’t seen for some time. Oh, TSA is ready. We have really focused on a hiring surge so we’re ready for the re-emergence of travel, summer travel and, of course, the Memorial Day travel. People will see lines because, you know, there’s going to be a tremendous amount of people traveling this weekend, but patience is required. This is a partnership between TSA and the people we serve.
STRAHAN: Yeah, a lot of patience is required for sure. And we saw in our piece that masks are still required at airports and also on airplanes. The CDC, they relaxed their mandates. Several states, or many states, have also relaxed their mask mandates as well. Do you expect to see the same for public transportation soon?
MAYORKAS: Michael, the mask mandate is a federal mandate in airports and on airplanes and that’s going to hold true probably until mid-September and it’s a very important mandate. You know, we are getting out of the COVID-19 pandemic because of a concerted federal effort and we need to stay strong and really put this behind us.
STRAHAN: And we’ve seen a dramatic spike in violence on planes, with 2,500 cases of allegedly unruly passengers so far this year. And many of these passengers, it comes from refusing to wear their masks. The Flight Attendants Union, they complained about the uptick in violence against their members. When you say you’re not going to tolerate unruly behavior, what specifically will you do to stop it?
MAYORKAS: Michael, violence against a flight attendant on a flight is a federal offense and those cases are going to be prosecuted. We will not tolerate that. We’re going to stand behind the flight attendants who are there to serve the American public.
STRAHAN: And their safety is very important. Looking ahead to summer, Europe, other countries, they’re going to open up. Could we see vaccine passports to travel internationally either into or out of the U.S.?
MAYORKAS: We’re taking a very close look at that. You know, one of our principles that has guided us throughout the pandemic is the value of diversity, equity, and inclusion and making sure that any passport that we provide for vaccinations is accessible to all and that no one is disenfranchised. And so we’re taking a very close look at that. There’s an underlying point here, of course, which is everyone should get vaccinated. We’ve got vaccination centers everywhere, no more than a few miles from everyone’s home, and it’s so important to get that vaccine, make one safe, make one’s loved ones safe around you.
STRAHAN: Mr. Mayorkas, thank you so much. And I do love that message and I love your message about having patience on this very busy weekend, thank you.
MAYORKAS: Thank you.
