Washington Post gives Mayorkas three Pinocchios for claiming illegal migrants are 'promptly removed' | Fox News
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Mayorkas claims Biden administration is successfully handling border crisis
Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler took aim at DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his recent claim that illegal migrants who come to the U.S. at the southern border are "promptly removed."
During his appearance on "Fox News Sunday," Mayorkas was pressed about the growing surge of migrants arriving at the border as the Biden administration continues efforts to lift the pandemic-era Title 42, which courts have ruled must stay in place.
"Last month, [Border Patrol] saw the most encounters on the southern border and DHS history," Fox News' Bret Baier said. "In all of last year, fiscal year, there were 1.7 million encounters and already there have been almost 1.1 million, and it's not even May. So do you have a different definition of 'effectively managed?'"
"Oh, not at all, Bret," Mayorkas responded. "Do you know what happens to these individuals? They are either expelled under the Title 42 of the CDC or they are placed into immigration enforcement proceedings. They make their claims under the law. If those claims don't prevail, they are promptly removed from the United States."
U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before a House Appropriations Subcommittee on April 27, 2022 in Washington, DC. Mayorkas testified on the fiscal year 2023 budget request for the Department of Homeland Security. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
That didn't exactly pass the smell test from the Washington Post's star fact-checker, who wrote a lengthy piece about the lengthy processing of illegal migrants and telling readers, "The track record of the Biden administration so far suggests people who eventually are ordered deported may be able to wait a long time before action is taken."
Kessler pointed to the nearly 2.5 million border encounters that have occurred since February 2021 and how more than 1.34 million were immediately expelled due to Title 42, which leaves more than 1.1 million additional people who are being processed through the immigration system."
MAYORKAS CLAIMS BIDEN ADMIN HAS 'EFFECTIVELY MANAGED' BORDER CRISIS, DEFLECT BLAME
"If they might be deemed inadmissible, they are supposed to be detained. But with detention facilities under stress because of coronavirus protocols, the administration has instead released them for processing down the road," Kessler wrote.
He also cited sharp declines in deportations, showing only 59,011 occurring in the fiscal year 2021 (down from 185,884 in 2020) and ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations made only about 74,082 arrests during that same period after averaging 148,000 arrests between 2017-2019, according to the agency.
"The administration has said it is prioritizing the removal of immigrants who pose public safety and national security threats. That suggests people who do not pose such threats have little fear of being removed promptly, as Mayorkas claimed," Kessler wrote.
A DHS spokesperson asserted to the Post that what Mayorkas said was factual. But as Kessler pointed out, the top Biden official was apparently referring to a "very narrow instance" of migrants who lose their case in court.
"As Secretary Mayorkas stated, 'If those claims don't prevail, they are promptly removed from the United States,'" the spokesperson told Kessler. "The data shows that to be true. Ninety-four percent of people encountered at our southwest land border in FY 2020 and placed in Title 8 [removal] proceedings who did not make successful claims for relief were repatriated by the end of calendar year 2021, and 86 percent of those encountered in FY2021 who did not make successful claims were repatriated by the end of CY 2021. This data includes persons of all nationalities encountered."
MAYORKAS TESTIFIES MORE THAN 389,000 MIGRANT 'GOTAWAYS' AT BORDER
"Our reporting demonstrated how long it can get to that point, and the statement acknowledged that 'due to existing immigration court backlogs, the process for hearing and deciding non-detained asylum cases currently takes several years on average,'" Kessler wrote.
Regarding the "Pinocchio Test," Kessler concluded that Mayorkas "gave the impression of a smooth-running machine… But the reality is much different. Certain nationalities, such as Mexicans, appear on a faster track to deportation. But others are not."
"Indeed, more than 1 million people who entered the country without proper documents have been given deportation orders — and still have not left. Others have disappeared — a problem that may have gotten worse as tens of thousands of undocumented immigrants are released in the country each month," Kessler wrote. "DHS, in its defense of Mayokas's remarks, said he was only referring to what happens when an undocumented immigrant loses their case. That's a distinction that most viewers likely missed. Mayorkas earns Three Pinocchios."
Joseph A. Wulfsohn is a media reporter for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to joseph.wulfsohn@fox.com and on Twitter: @JosephWulfsohn.
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If the current state of affairs at the border is "effectively handling" it, what on Earth would mishandling look like?
This Administration is a joke regarding migration and border security.
Exodus from Afghanistan.......... on steroids
My disgust with Mayorkas and the Biden administration has reached new heights. Found out yesterday that Mayorkas and Biden want to pull physicians, nurses, and other assets from VA health care facilities and send them to the Southern border to help provide medical care for the multitude of illegals streaming across the border. As a retired and disabled vet, this is a huge slap in the face to all vets utilizing the VA medical system. I want to see how the liberal left Democrats try to justify and/or defend those actions that take care away fro the people who are legally entitled to VA health care. New meaning to disgusting!
Saw that on an NDN site - blew a gasket - made my comments - today's Feds don't give a shyte - period.
Yep, and no word from the hard core leftist libbies on this either way. Further proof that Biden and his minions don't give a rat's behind about veterans.
Funny how the hard core liberal left Dems on NT have not had the cojones here to try to justify or defend Mayorka's or Biden's unconscionable actions on this. Hard to defend the indefensible on this even for them!
Mayorkas is right in a way. They are quickly processed. He just neglected to state that loaded onto planes and busses so the Biden Administration can move them all over the country.
That's so if they ever vote for a Republican there'll deport them.
Are you saying that somebody who doesn't go through the proper channels (an illegal alien) to be in this country shouldn't be deported?
I heard Mayorkas claim that he is prepared for as many as 18,000 immigrants per day crossing the border.
Even if it was only 15,000, that is still 450,000 per month. The current Administration is having difficulty handling the flow now, how will they handle such a huge increase?
Expect the illegal alien population to almost double over the next years of the Biden/Harris Administration.
When was the last time Harris addressed anything regarding the border?
Why isn't Mary Poppins on this?
Because putting the truth out there and condemning lies isn't the purpose of these clowns.
The purpose is to squelch commentary they don't agree with and promote a one-sided view--just as long as it jibes with the Administration's views.
All frauds, liars, and phonies. Biden voters really screwed the nation.
Pretty sure a lot of Biden voters are suffering buyer's remorse about now...
You know its a brazen lie when even the Washington Post fact checker can't cover for it.