President Trump reportedly called off last weekend’s planned Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids as part of a strategy to ratchet up the pressure on congressional Democrats to change the country’s asylum laws. But Monday’s evening newscasts of ABC and NBC gave the credit to Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) because she claimed she told the President he was “scaring the children of America” with the raids.
“A mass roundup was planned for this weekend, but then the President spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a 12-minute phone call, she told him the raids would ‘inject terror into our communities,’” boasted ABC congressional correspondent Mary Bruce during World News Tonight.
Pelosi received similar glorification on NBC Nightly News from chief White House correspondent Hallie Jackson. “Now, the countdown is on. President Trump, an abrupt about-face announced on Twitter he's holding off for two weeks on deportation raids planned over the weekend,” she prefaced. “The reversal of the raids prompted partly by a one-on-one call with the House Speaker.”
“Children are scared. You're scaring the children of America, not just in those families, but their neighbors in their communities. You're scaring the children,” Pelosi declared in the NBC soundbite.
This praise came during segments about the revelation that migrant children were discovered to be living in unsanitary conditions at a Customs and Border Protection facility in Texas. Most of the children have since been relocated, a fact that went unmentioned by Bruce.
In an interview with NBC political director Chuck Todd over the weekend, the President argued that the unsanitary conditions were caused by a lack of proper funding while the southern border was experiencing a crisis. He noted that the current crisis was partly caused by the Congressional Democrats’ months-long refusal to allocate more resources.
Jackson even admitted that the federal government was trying to “find ways to find space for the surge of undocumented immigrants being apprehended crossing the southern border. 144,000 in May, the highest monthly total in 13 years.” And so far this year, most months have seen border arrests skyrocket over 100,000.
But those facts didn’t stop these broadcast networks from giving the credit to Democrats now that funds appeared to be getting freed up. It was quite obvious on ABC when anchor David Muir asked Bruce: “The President is blaming Democrats for blocking him on immigration, but the Democrats including Speaker Pelosi, say they have a plan?”
Bruce responded by suggesting “Democrats with Republicans are now trying to hammer out a plan that would provide $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid.” “But the President is also demanding changes to the asylum laws in the next two weeks. Speaker Pelosi tonight though is making it pretty clear that is not going to happen,” she chided.
“Congress is also considering approving $4.5 billion in emergency money, mostly for food and medical supplies for unaccompanied children at the border,” Jackson touted. “Keep in mind that even though the President says changing the asylum law would solve everything, it doesn't take that act of Congress to make sure detained children have toothbrushes, for example.”
If the funds were made available, say, four or five months ago (or the border secured decades ago), there may not have been such a crisis.
The transcripts are below, click "expand" to read:
ABC’s World News Tonight
June 24, 2019
6:43:39 p.m. Eastern(…)
MARY BRUCE: In a statement, Customs and Border Protection tells us they have limited resources, but are working “to provide the best care possible for those in our custody, especially children.” When pressed about these conditions, the President blamed the Democrats.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: We're doing a fantastic job under the circumstances. The Democrats aren't even approving giving us money. Where is the money?
BRUCE: Trump is trying to up the pressure on Capitol Hill, giving lawmakers just two weeks to act on immigration or else he says he will go ahead with sweeping raids of families who are in the U.S. illegally. A mass roundup was planned for this weekend, but then the President spoke with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. In a 12-minute phone call, she told him the raids would “inject terror into our communities."
SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: So, when I spoke to the President, I said, “Look, I'm a mom, I have five kids, nine grandchildren and children are scared. You're scaring the children of America.”
[Cuts back to live]
DAVID MUIR: And Mary Bruce is back on the hill for us again tonight. And Mary we just heard Speaker Pelosi there. The President is blaming Democrats for blocking him on immigration, but the Democrats including Speaker Pelosi, say they have a plan?
BRUCE: Yeah, David, Democrats with Republicans are now trying to hammer out a plan that would provide $4.5 billion in humanitarian aid. But the President is also demanding changes to the asylum laws in the next two weeks. Speaker Pelosi tonight though is making it pretty clear that is not going to happen. David?
MUIR: Mary Bruce, starting another week on the hill. Mary, thank you.
NBC Nightly News
June 24, 2019
7:04:40 p.m. Eastern(…)
HALLIE JACKSON: That facility in Clint, Texas is one of many packed past capacity. As the government tries to find ways to find space for the surge of undocumented immigrants being apprehended crossing the southern border. 144,000 in May, the highest monthly total in 13 years.
Now, the countdown is on. President Trump, an abrupt about-face announced on Twitter he's holding off for two weeks on deportation raids planned over the weekend. He's hoping to pressure Democrats to cut a deal to change asylum laws. Unlikely, but a goal of the President as he tries to crackdown on illegal immigration.
The reversal of the raids prompted partly by a one-on-one call with the House Speaker.
SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI: So, when I spoke to the President, I said, “Look, I'm a mom. [Transition] Children are scared. You're scaring the children of America, not just in those families, but their neighbors in their communities. You're scaring the children.
JACKSON: Congress is also considering approving $4.5 billion in emergency money, mostly for food and medical supplies for unaccompanied children at the border.
CHUCK TODD: But, why let the political debate hurt these children? They could be impacted for years!
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: If the Democrats would change the asylum laws and the loopholes which they refuse to do because they think it's good politics, everything would be solved immediately. But they refuse to do it.
[Cuts back to live]
LESTER HOLT: And Hallie joins us now. Hallie, it doesn't look like those sweeping changes the President wants are going to happen within two weeks, so are we going to end up back in this same place?
JACKSON: It's absolutely possible, Lester. Keep in mind that even though the President says changing the asylum law would solve everything, it doesn't take that act of Congress to make sure detained children have toothbrushes, for example. As for the aid package, the House can vote as early as tomorrow to advance it. Lester.
HOLT: All right, Hallie, thank you.
