During a press briefing on Wednesday, President Biden claimed a report that his administration would shell out $450,000 to illegal immigrants whose families were separated at the border was “garbage” and the payments were “not going to happen.” But during a press briefing on Thursday, the administration admitted that they were going to give those illegals a payday for an undisclosed amount of money. At no point on either day did the broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) mention it in their newscasts.
Instead of covering this highly questionable and newsworthy story of the Justice Department allegedly negotiating massive cash settlements with illegal immigrants Thursday evening, all three of the broadcasters gawked at a coming cold snap. They also implied that the 11 white jurors in the Ahmaud Arbery trial were racist as they fretted his family would not find justice with only one black juror.
So, while the broadcast networks were stoking racial resentment, Fox News Channel’s Special Report asked the serious questions. “Now to the complete 180 tonight from the Biden administration on whether it will pay huge compensation to illegal immigrants separated from family members at the U.S. southern border under the previous administration,” announced anchor Bret Baier. “A story that was really dismissed by the President and top Democrats.”
After recalling how Biden had dismissed the story as “garbage” on Wednesday, White House correspondent Peter Doocy began by proclaiming: “Their story is changing, as the White House now confirms cash payments for some illegal immigrants separated from family members at the border.”
During the Thursday press briefing, Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (filling in for Press Secretary Jen Psaki since she has COVID) informed the press pool that her boss was now “perfectly comfortable with the Department of Justice settling with the individuals and families who are currently in litigation with the U.S. government.”
But as Doocy’s interactions with the administration prove, they’re not being entirely honest about what the price range was:
DOOCY: But if it’s not – if he’s okay with $450,000 how much is okay with giving to illegal immigrants?
JEAN-PIERRE: This is something—again Peter, this is something that the Department of Justice is going to handle.
[Cuts back to live]
DOOCY: They keep referring us to the Department of Justice; and when we ask them, they say, on the record, “no comment.” We know that negotiations are ongoing, though, to make these payments the President told me very forcefully yesterday were not going to be made.
And according to Doocy, former HUD secretary, “Democrat Julian Castro defends the six-figure paydays. Quote, ‘These aren’t payments, they’re legal settlements to families who were wronged by the U.S. government.’”
“And if officials around here say $450,000 is too much then we can accurately report that those payments will be up to $449,000,” he quipped to Baier.
Following a quick chuckle at the joke, Baier drilled down on the fact administration was going to shell out big cash payments but the price tag was still uncertain:
BAIER: But that is what they’re hanging their pushback on, right? That he said that's not going to happen and he was specifically referring to 450,000 as opposed to 300 or 400?
DOOCY: Yes, but, Bret, if that's what the President meant, he could have just said that. I asked him a very direct question. And he dismissed the idea entirely.
The broadcast networks could have easily spun the payments as Biden righting a wrong of the Trump administration. But their silence is telling as they see Biden’s approval hitting new lows and Republicans just pulled off a massive upset in Virginia on Election Day.
The omission of this serious immigration story was made possible because of the lucrative sponsorships from Prevagen on ABC, SimpliSafe on CBS, and Fidelity on NBC. Their contact information is linked so you can tell them about the biased news they fund.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
November 4, 2021
6:04;14 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: Now to the complete 180 tonight from the Biden administration on whether it will pay huge compensation to illegal immigrants separated from family members at the U.S. southern border under the previous administration. A story that was really dismissed by the President and top Democrats. Here’s White House correspondent Peter Doocy.
[Cuts to video]
PETER DOOCY: Their story is changing, as the White House now confirms cash payments for some illegal immigrants separated from family members at the border.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE (Deputy Press Secretary, White House): The President is perfectly comfortable with the Department of Justice settling with the individuals and families who are currently in litigation with the U.S. government.
DOOCY: That’s confirming a report the President himself dismissed.
PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: That's not true. [Transition] It's $450,000? [Transition] That's not going to happen.
DOOCY: Yes, it is. Just for a different dollar amount.
JEAN-PIERRE: DOJ made clear to the plaintiffs that the reported figures are higher than anywhere that a settlement can land.
DOOCY: The ACLU is blaming this confusion on bad staffing saying, “President Biden may not have been fully briefed about the actions of his very own Justice Department.”
SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-SC): Is he misleading us or he just didn't know?
DOOCY: House Republicans are now pushing legislation to block these payments, Congressman Tom McClintock is sponsoring the measure and writes: “Who says crime doesn't pay? Under Biden it apparently pays very well indeed.”
SEN. JOHN THUNE (R-SD): Biden is saying he doesn't know about it. But I think another example of disarray here in Washington with one hand not doing -- knowing what the other one’s doing.
DOOCY: Democrat Julian Castro defends the six-figure paydays. Quote, “These aren’t payments, they’re legal settlements to families who were wronged by the U.S. government.”
But Senator Tom Cotton compares the cash to reparations.
SEN. TOM COTTON (R-AR): What about reparations for all the families whose lives have been shattered because they had a son or daughter killed by opioids that were shipped across our southern border? It is insane.
DOOCY: It is happening and details are forthcoming.
But if it’s not – if he’s okay with $450,000 how much is okay with giving to illegal immigrants?
JEAN-PIERRE: This is something—again Peter, this is something that the Department of Justice is going to handle.
[Cuts back to live]
DOOCY: They keep referring us to the Department of Justice; and when we ask them, they say, on the record, “no comment.” We know that negotiations are ongoing, though, to make these payments the President told me very forcefully yesterday were not going to be made. And if officials around here say $450,000 is too much then we can accurately report that those payments will be up to $449,000. Bret.
BAIER: But that is what they’re hanging their pushback on, right? That he said that's not going to happen and he was specifically referring to 450,000 as opposed to 300 or 400?
DOOCY: Yes, but, Bret, if that's what the President meant, he could have just said that. I asked him a very direct question. And he dismissed the idea entirely. They are saying he was just dismissing the $450,000. But if payments like this were completely out of the question, and now they are saying, “no, no, just the $450,000 payments.”
BAIER: Well, we’ll follow more on this with the panel. Peter Doocy live on the North Lawn. Peter, thanks.
