The notion the U.S. has an open border is not the fault of President Joe Biden, but of Republicans, according to ABC News’ Martha Raddatz.
During an interview with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R), Raddatz confronted him on his claim the president is advancing an “open border” policy.
“You talk about the border wall, you talk about open borders, I don’t think I’ve ever heard President Biden say, ‘We have an open border, come on over,’” she said.
The journalist went on, “The people I have heard say it are you, are former President Trump, Ron DeSantis. That message reverberates in Mexico and beyond. So they do get the message that it is an open border.”
Watch the video below:
While interviewing Texas Gov. Abbott, ABC reporter Martha Raddatz blames Abbott, Trump, and DeSantis for the border crisis. pic.twitter.com/G0AnswRxuc
— Catch Up (@CatchUpNetwork) December 19, 2022
In a 2019 Democratic presidential primary debate, Biden said, “All those people who are seeking asylum, they deserve to be heard. That’s who we are. We’re a nation who says, if you want to flee, and you’re freeing oppression, you should come.”
But since taking office, he has sought to discourage migrants from making the trek to the border. During a March 2021 interview with ABC News, he said, “I can say quite clearly: Don’t come.”
“We’re in the process of getting set up; don’t leave your town or city or community,” Biden added.
In June of the same year, Vice President Kamala Harris told potential migrants, “I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come. The United States will continue to enforce our laws and secure our border.”
BORDER: In Guatemala Vice President Kamala Harris says, "I want to be clear to folks in this region who are thinking about making that dangerous trek to the United States-Mexico border: Do not come. Do not come." pic.twitter.com/AIXMRnMjbR
— Forbes (@Forbes) June 8, 2021
To be fair, clips of Abbott, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R), and former President Donald Trump claiming the Biden administration is for open borders could be misconstrued to falsely give migrants the idea they can just walk into the country and not have to worry about being caught and deported.
But at the same time, Biden has been in office for nearly two years and his administration is still scrambling to address the situation at the border.
In the meantime, he has tried to remove policies implemented by Trump meant to limit border crossings such as the “Remain in Mexico” policy which required asylum seekers to wait in Mexico until their cases could be heard. U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk blocked the termination of the order pending legal challenges, but also did not order its reinstatement.
The president also sought to lift Title 42, a public health order which allowed migrants to quickly be deported. His efforts to rescind the order were blocked. However, a court ordered the policy to be lifted on Dec. 21.
Officials are preparing for an influx of migrants after the policy expires. And Abbott warned during his ABC News interview there will be “total chaos.”
Perhaps Republicans’ comments are being used to advance the narrative that there is an open border. But Biden’s attempts to roll back measures meant to limit border crossings without supplementing them with a strong and clear border enforcement strategy are not helping either.
