With the border crisis only continuing to grow, Friday’s White House press briefing featured multiple reporters pressuring Press Secretary Jen Psaki for answers on detention facilities, the number of illegal immigrants crossing the border, and whether the Biden administration has decided if it’ll allow an unlimited number of people to come across the U.S/Mexico border.
Fox News White House correspondent Kristin Fisher led the way, calmly but aggressively hammering at Psaki for answers on basic statistics about the crisis and, on a different topic, the nursing home and sexual harassment scandals facing White House ally and Governor Andrew Cuomo (D-NY).
Fisher started with short, simple questions, wanting to know whether there’s been “any discussions…about reversing the policy of allowing all unaccompanied children into the United States” and whether they’ve decided “to take in and safely and humanely find a home for an unlimited number of unaccompanied children.”
Psaki replied with a “no” to the first and refused to answer the second one.
Instead, Psaki demanded Fisher and those listening to “take a step back as human beings and as mothers, of which I am one” and think about how “[t]hese kids are coming, they are fleeing persecution, they are fleeing difficult circumstances in their home country,” so it’s incumbent upon the U.S. to “ensur[e] they are treated safely, they are not trafficked, they are not sent back on an unsafe journey.”
Fisher then reminded Psaki that she’s both a mother and “feel[s] for all of these children,” but also made clear that facts are missing with the administration refusing to public state the number of crossings a day. Fisher even asked Psaki if she could provide a number, but, as usual, she declined (click “expand”):
FISHER: [T]he fact remains you have DHS is projecting 100,000 unaccompanied minors by May, and, you know, that brings me to another question, A lot of these numbers and data are all coming from leaked documents from DHS, from HHS.
PSAKI: Yeah.
FISHER: Why doesn't the White House just release these numbers? I mean, don't the American people deserve to get the data straight from you and straight from the WH?
PSAKI: Data projected numbers and internal documents for policy discussions?
FISHER: Data about how many unaccompanied children and migrants are crossing the border on a daily basis. I understand, eventually, it is made public, but why not now? Why do we have to learn from leaked documents?
PSAKI: It is. It is made public by the Department of Homeland Security and the officials who oversee the entire process. It is made public.
[INAUDIBLE FISHER]
PSAKI: We don't as a policy — we don't as a policy make public, or confirm private decks and policy documents as no administration would.
FISHER: I understand. So, can you confirm how many illegal border crossings there are on average every day right now?
PSAKI: I would send you to the Department of Homeland Security and CBP who, of course, would be overseeing that process.
Fisher used her final question in round one to inquire about whether the White House would accept the invitation from House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for a meeting about the issue, but Psaki only committed to meeting with those who want to help depart from “the dismantled and inhumane immigration approach of the last administration.”
Fast-forward 20 minutes and Fisher again tried to move Psaki off of her gutless refusal to take a stand against Cuomo.
On the nursing home scandals, Fisher brought up the new reporting from “The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times that aides to Governor Cuomo had altered the report on nursing home deaths to hide a higher death toll,” but Psaki only said they were “troubling” stories and that the White House continues to “support any outside investigation.”
And on the three women who’ve accused the former liberal media darling of sexual harassment, Psaki said she wasn’t “aware” if Biden or Vice President Harris had watched CBS anchor Norah O’Donnell’s home run interview with accuser Charlotte Bennett on account of the fact that “they obviously both have a full schedule.”
Psaki tried to shift to restating past briefing statements, but Fisher wasn’t having it (click “expand”):
FISHER: Well, so, I guess my question is — in 2017 when then-Senator Kamala Harris was calling on Senator Al Franken to resign for similar issues, she tweeted and I quote: “Sexual harassment and conduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere.” So, you know, what does it say to women like Charlotte Bennett when the Vice President of the United States will comment about that but won’t say the same thing about these allegations against Governor Cuomo?
PSAKI: Well, I think the Vice President's views that all women should be treated with respect, their voices should be heard, they should tell their story. There’s an independent investigation that is happening now being overseen by the New York attorney general and she certainly supports that.
FISHER: Why won't she say that?
PSAKI: Hopefully all the individuals who have come out should — should see that as her point of view and one that I am happy to reiterate on her behalf.
FISHER: But, so, why won't she say that?
PSAKI: Again, I think I’m — I’m speaking on her behalf. That is the White House. That’s the benefit of doing this briefing every day.
Fortunately, it wasn’t just Fisher who brought the heat. The Associated Press’s Alexandra Jaffe led off the questions by twice pressing Psaki on the fact that Biden has been in office for 45 days but “has yet to hold a presser” even though every president in recent history had already done so.
Psaki unsurprisingly demurred and implied that reporters should accept pool sprays as sufficient due to the fact that Biden has to address economic and health crises due to the coronavirus pandemic with a possible presser coming before the end of the month.
And on immigration, CNN’s Jeremy Diamond and CBS’s Weijia Jiang led into Fisher’s questions with some of their own.
Diamond, however, framed one of his questions in a more sympathetic light and fretted whether “some of [Biden’s] rhetoric and some of his policies may have, as well intentioned as they may have been, inadvertently contributed to the rise in migrants that we're seeing at the border, particularly unaccompanied children.”
Jiang followed up by nothing “a lot of Americans are saying that, you know, the surges are happening under President Biden's watch after he reversed some previous policies” and inquired about whether the White House will accept “any responsibility for what’s happening.”
If you were hoping Psaki was going to provide an answer, you would have been sorely mistaken.
To see the relevant transcript from the March 5 briefing, click “expand.”
White House Press Briefing
March 5, 2021
1:09 p.m. EasternALEXANDRA JAFFE: So, we’re 45 days into the administration and he has yet to hold a presser. At this point in past presidencies, every President, you know, from Reagan had addressed reporters. Some of them multiple times. So why the delay and when can we expect the President to hold a press conference?
JEN PSAKI: Well, first, as all of you know, the President takes questions several times a week. He took questions actually twice yesterday, which is an opportunity for the people covering the White House to ask him about whatever news is happening on any given. We look forward to holding a full press conference in the coming weeks before the end of the month, and we’re working on setting a final date for that. And as soon as we do, we will let you know. But this President came in during a historic crisis — two historic crises, a pandemic like the country had not seen in decades and decades, and an economic downturn that left 10 million people out of work. So, I think the American people would understand if his focus and his energy and his attention has been ensuring we obtain enough vaccine to vaccinate all Americans, which we will do by the end of May and pushing for a — a rescue plan that will provide direct checks to almost 160 million Americans. That’s where his time, energy, and focus has been. But in the meantime, he takes questions multiple times a week and looks forward to continuing to do that. And as soon as we have a press conference set, we’ll let you know.
JAFFE: Sure. Those sprays, though, are not an ideal forum for us to be answering questions. He can’t hear us half the time. We get maybe two questions and then we’re shuffled out. Why hasn't he answered questions from the press, at this point? Is it just that he’s too busy?
PSAKI: I think he’s answered questions. I believe the count is almost 40 times, so — and I would that his focus, again, is on getting recovery and relief to the American people. And he looks forward to continuing to engage with all of you and to members of the — other members of the media who are not here today, and will look forward to letting you know as soon as that press conference is set.
(....)
1:20 p.m. Eastern
JEREMY DIAMOND: I wonder, though, given some of the President's rhetoric on the campaign trail and as President and some of the policies including rolling back some of the immigration policies of the Trump era, is he concerned at all that some of his rhetoric and some of this policies may have, as well intentioned as they may have been, inadvertently contributed to the rise in migrants that we're seeing at the border, particularly unaccompanied children? And does he have any intention to more forcefully until those individuals that now is not the time to come, as the Secretary of Homeland Security said last week?
PSAKI: Sure and as the secretary of homeland security also said last week — was that last week? It feels — I’m not sure.
DIAMOND: It was this week.PSAKI: I don’t know. It may have been this week. As the secretary said, this is a message we are conveying with every opportunity, from the President, the Vice President, from officials in the region, and we’re doing that with the full support, of course, of the Department of Homeland Security and resources that we have available. I will say that the big difference which we certainly understand the outcome may be an influx, as we have seen, of more children. If you were kicking children out, there’s naturally by design — I’m no mathematician — but going to be more children who come in because we believe that policy was inhumane. And we believe that children who are under the age of 18 should be treated with humanity and — and provided safety while we consider the process is moving forward. So, we certainly have a different approach. We understand the outcome and impact of that, but we are using every tool at our disposal and we use every official we can to convey clearly this is not the time to come. The majority of people who come are turned away, family, adults. We’re really talking about children, which is, I know, what you were referencing?
DIAMOND: But you do believe that part of that rise is due to some of your policies and rhetoric of this administration?
PSAKI: I certainly didn't say that exactly, but all I am conveying is that obviously we will have more kids in the country since we have been letting unaccompanied minors stay and the last administration immorally kicked them out, in our view.
(....)
1:23 p.m. Eastern
WEIJIA JIANG: And I guess just to follow-up on Jeremy, I think — well, I don't want to speak for him, but a lot of Americans are saying that, you know, the surges are happening under President Biden's watch after he reversed some previous policies. So, does the administration take any accountability for what’s happening?
PSAKI: Who are the Americans?
JIANG: Well, I know you do not want to answer to him, but the former President released a statement saying that “the Biden administration must act immediately to end the nightmare that they have unleashed onto our nation.
PSAKI: Former President Trump?
JIANG: Yes.
PSAKI: We don't take advice or counsel from former President Trump on immigration policy, which was not only inhumane but ineffective over the last four years. We’re going to chart our own path forward and that includes treating children with humanity and respect and ensuring they’re safe when they cross our borders.
(....)
1:25 p.m. Eastern
KRISTIN FISHER: Are there any discussions within the White House about reversing the policy of allowing all unaccompanied children into the United States?
PSAKI: No.
FISHER: None at all? So, I guess, is the plan then to take in and safely and humanely find a home for an unlimited number of unaccompanied children?
PSAKI: I think this issue requires us taking a step back as human beings and as mothers, of which I am one. I know there are many in the room or many at home. These kids are coming, they are fleeing persecution, they are fleeing difficult circumstances in their home country. When they come here, all we are talking about is ensuring they are treated safely, they are not trafficked, they are not sent back on an unsafe journey. That's what we are talking about. When these kids come in, it doesn’t mean they are insured they get to stay. They go through the processing system that everyone goes through, but we want to ensure that that is done by treating them humanely and with respect. Many of them will be sent back home eventually, but we’re talking about how we treat them as they come in the country.
FISHER: Well, and I’m a mom too, so I certainly feel for all of these children that are fleeing very difficult situations in their homes to come here, but, you knjow, the fact remains you have DHS is projecting 100,000 unaccompanied minors by May, and,. You know, that brings me to another question, A lot of these numbers and data are all coming from leaked documents from DHS, from HHS.
PSAKI: Yeah.
FISHER: Why doesn't the White House just release these numbers? I mean, don't the American people deserve to get the data straight from you and straight from the WH?
PSAKI: Data projected numbers and internal documents for policy discussions?
FISHER: Data about how many unaccompanied children and migrants are crossing the border on a daily basis. I understand, eventually, it is made public, but why not now? Why do we have to learn from leaked documents?
PSAKI: It is. It is made public by the Department of Homeland Security and the officials who oversee the entire process. It is made public.
[INAUDIBLE FISHER]
PSAKI: We don't as a policy — we don't as a policy make public, or confirm private decks and policy documents as no administration would.
FISHER: I understand. So, can you confirm how many illegal border crossings there are on average every day right now?
PSAKI: I would send you to the Department of Homeland Security and CBP who, of course, would be overseeing that process.
FISHER: Okay and one more question on immigration. House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy — he’s requesting a meeting with President Biden about this issue. He’s also asking President Biden to acknowledge the crisis. Will President Biden take that meeting and, I’ll ask it again, will he acknowledge that there’s a crisis?
PSAKI: Well, first, the President and this administration's focus is about digging out of the dismantled and inhumane immigration approach of the last administration and that’s why the President has proposed an immigration bill that would address the root causes that leader McCarthy referenced in his letter, but move beyond the policy of funding ineffective border walls, by investing in smart security at ports of entry, and would also create a pathway to citizenship. And we would welcome the openness or desire to engage on that from the leader or any Democrat or Republican who wants to have a conversation about a constructive path forward.
(....)
1:53 p.m. Eastern
FISHER: Two questions about New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The first is I just wanted to know if the White House had any sort of action to these twin reports in The Wall Street Journal and the New York Times that aides to Governor Cuomo had altered the report on nursing home deaths to hide a higher death toll?
PSAKI: Ah, we’ve certainly seen those reports. Obviously, they’re troubling, and we certainly would support any outside investigation, but those wouldn’t be determinations made by us.
FISHER: Okay and on the other controversy that Governor Cuomo’s facing, the third accuser did a long interview on CBS News last night. I am wondering if the Vice President or the President watched it or heard about it.
PSAKI: I’m not aware of them watching it. They — they obviously both have a full schedule we keep them to. Of course, as I have noted in here before, but it’s — I — I welcome the opportunity to repeat —
FISHER: Well, so, I guess my question is — in 2017 when then-Senator Kamala Harris was calling on Senator Al Franken to resign for similar issues, she tweeted and I quote: “Sexual harassment and conduct should not be allowed by anyone and should not occur anywhere.” So, you know, what does it say to women like Charlotte Bennett when the Vice President of the United States will comment about that but won’t say the same thing about these allegations against Governor Cuomo?
PSAKI: Well, I think the Vice President's views that all women should be treated with respect, their voices should be heard, they should tell their story. There’s an independent investigation that is happening now being overseen by the New York attorney general and she certainly supports that.
FISHER: Why won't she say that?
PSAKI: Hopefully all the individuals who have come out should — should see that as her point of view and one that I am happy to reiterate on her behalf.
FISHER: But, so, why won't she say that?
PSAKI: Again, I think I’m — I’m speaking on her behalf. That is the White House. That’s the benefit of doing this briefing everyday.
