Correcting the Record: Biden Administration Blames Congress for Border Crisis

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“House Republicans’ anti-border security record is defined by attempting to cut Customs and Border Protection personnel...” – White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates

FALSE: This statement is blatantly false. House Republicans have not attempted to cut Customs and Border Protection personnel, and any decreases in staffing levels since January 20, 2021, are due to agents leaving the job, including a tragic number of suicides. The Democrat-controlled Senate did reject legislation during the 117th Congress that would have added Customs and Border Protection personnel to process millions of additional illegal aliens at the border for eventual release into American communities, granted a large-scale amnesty to illegal aliens, and significantly increased legal immigration. Conversely, in 2023, House Republicans passed H.R. 2, the Secure the Border Act, that would have ended asylum fraud and parole abuse and increased the number of Border Patrol agents strictly for enforcement assignments only. All House Democrats voted against the bill, the Democrat-controlled Senate has not brought it up for a vote, and the White House opposes H.R. 2.

“[Congress] ought to give me the money I need to protect the border.” - President Joe Biden

“House Republicans’ anti-border security record is defined by… opposing President Biden’s record-breaking border security funding, and refusing to take up the President’s supplemental funding request.” – White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates

FALSE: The crisis at the southern border is the result of policy failures, not a lack of resources. The Biden Administration’s supplemental funding request contains no policy changes and would make the crisis worse by providing the administration with additional resources to streamline the processing of illegal aliens and faster release into American communities.

“We’re at a time of the year where we’re seeing more at the border and it’s not unusual….” – White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

FALSE: In December 2023, approximately 302,000 illegal aliens were “encountered” along the southern border—the highest month ever recorded. In December 2022, a then-record 252,315 illegal aliens were “encountered” along the southern border. By comparison, the average December apprehensions total from Fiscal Year 2017 to Fiscal Year 2020 was 43,401 illegal aliens. Last month’s record-setting total of unlawful entries represents a 595.8% increase compared to the December average during the previous administration.

“The President has done everything that he can right [sic] on his own….” – White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

FALSE: The Biden Administration, including Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, is refusing to use existing laws to secure the border and impose consequences for illegal immigration. For example, the administration terminated the successful Migrant Protection Protocols, or Remain in Mexico policy, canceled the Asylum Cooperative Agreements with the Northern Triangle countries, and defied congressional will by unilaterally restricting the application of the expedited removal authority. The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) published a research paper back in September 2022 explaining all of the existing authority the administration has at its disposal, but for three years, they have failed to pivot strategy and utilize any of these tools to secure the border.

“Climate change, poverty, increasing level [sic] of authoritarianism” are the root causes of the border surge – DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

FALSE: Economic migrants, human traffickers, and smugglers are coming across the southern border at record levels because they know they will be released into American communities. Independent journalists have dubbed this the “selfie effect” because migrants are observed taking photos of themselves being released. The documentation by illegal aliens of their successful journey across the border, combined with the reality that the Biden Administration is removing less than 5% of the illegal aliens “encountered” at the border each fiscal year, continues to fuel the crisis month after month. Nearly every illegal alien is given a work permit and connected with non-profit groups to receive taxpayer-funded transportation, clothing, housing, and meals. The laws did not change between administrations, just the refusal of the current administration to secure the southern border.

If the “blame Congress” claims sound familiar, that’s because, in January 2023, the Washington Post editorial board made similar inaccurate assertions. AFPI successfully debunked those claims here.