President Joe Biden is not mincing his words when it comes to his message to immigrants looking to make their way to the U.S.-Mexico border.
ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos noted the migrant situation at the southern border “seems to be getting worse by the day.”
Asked if it was a “mistake to not anticipate this surge,” Biden responded during the exclusive interview aired Wednesday, “First of all, there was a surge the last two years [in 2019 and 2020].”
Stephanopoulos pressed that “this one could be worse,” to which the president said, “It could,” before adding, “By the way, the idea that Joe Biden said, ‘Come,’ because I heard the other day they’re coming because they know I’m a nice guy.”
The ABC News host questioned if Biden’s message needs to be straight forward.
Biden responded, “Yes, I can say quite clearly: Don’t come over… Don’t leave your town or city or community.”
Watch Biden’s interview below:
EXCLUSIVE: @GStephanopoulos presses Pres. Biden on the border crisis.
— ABC News (@ABC) March 17, 2021
"Do you have to say quite clearly, 'Don't come'?
Biden: "Yes, I can say quite clearly: Don't come over…Don’t leave your town or city or community." https://t.co/zFJaRXjCI8 pic.twitter.com/osZKR64ypq
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said during Wednesday’s interview on “Morning Joe” that the administration is “addressing [the southern border situation] and it will improve.” The Democratic lawmaker noted Biden “has been in office not quite two months.”
She also said, “As far as the children are concerned, you can imagine me as a mother of five every minute that a parent is separated from a child to me is a crisis. So we want this to move along expeditiously.”
Biden told reporters outside the White House on Tuesday that “at the moment” he does not have plans to visit the southern border. He has come under pressure from members of both parties to address the immigration situation at the border.
