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Afternoon I've come here today to do what the republicans in Congress refus to do take the necessary steps to secure our border four months ago after weeks of intense negotiation between my staff and Democrats and Republicans we came to a clear clear bipartisan deal was the strongest border security agreement in.
Decades but then republicans in Congress not all but walked away from it why because Donald Trump told them to he told the Republicans it was been published widely by many of you that he didn't want to fix the issue he wanted to use it to attack me that's what he wanted to do was a cynical and a extremely cynical.
Political move and a complete disservice to the American people who are looking for us to not to weaponize the Border but to fix it today I'm joined by a bipartisan group of Governors members of Congress Mayors law enforcement officials most of whom live and work along the southern border they know the border is not a political issue to be.
Weaponized the responsibility we have to share to do something about it they don't have time for the games played in Washington and neither do the American people so today I'm moving past Republican obstruction and using the executive authorities available to me as president to do what what I can on my own to address the Border frankly I.
Would have preferred to address this issue through a bipartisan legislation because that's the only way to actually get the kind of system we have now that's broken fixed to hire more border patrol agents more Asylum officers more judges but Republicans have left me no choice today I'm announcing actions to Bar migrants who cross our Southern.
Border unlawfully from receiving Asylum Mig migrants will be restricted from receiving Asylum at our Southern border unless they seek it after entering through an established lawful process and those who seek to come to the United States legally for example by making an appointment and coming to a Port of Entry Asylum will still be available to.
Them still available but if an individual chooses not to use our legal Pathways if they choose to come without permission and against the law they'll be restricted from receiving Asylum and staying in the United States this action will help us gain control of our border restore order into the process this ban will remain in place until the number of.
People trying to enter illegally is reduced to a level that our system can effectively manage we'll carry out this order consistent with all our responsibilities under international law every one of them in addition to this action we recently made important reforms in our Asylum system more efficient and more secure reforms the.
Goal is deliver decisions on Asylum as quickly as possible the quicker the decision the quicker decision means that a migrant is less likely to pay a criminal Smuggler thousands of dollars to take him on a dangerous Journey knowing that if in fact they move in the wrong direction they be turned around quickly and two weeks ago the Department.
Of Justice stated started a new Docket in the immigration courts to address cases where people who have recently crossed the border and make they make a decision within 6 months rather than six years because that's what happens now Additionally the Department of Homeland Security has proposed new rules to allow federal law enforcement to more quickly.
Remove Asylum Seekers that have criminal convictions and remove them from the United States my Administration has also recently launched new efforts to go after criminal networks that profit from smuggling migrants to our border and incentivize people to give tips to law enforcement provide information that brings Smugglers to Justice jce we're.
Also sending additional Federal prosecutors to hotspots along the border and prosecute individuals who break our immigration laws one other critical step that we will will be taking and that is made a huge difference we continue to work closely with our Mexican neighbors instead of attacking Mexico and it's.
Worked we built a strong Partnership of trust between the Mexican president Lopez opor and I'm going to do the same with the Mexican elect President president who I spoke with yesterday we've chosen to work together with Mexico as an equal partner and the facts are clear due to the arrangements that I've reached with president oor with.
Number of migrants coming in shared to our shared Border unlawfully in recent months has dropped dramatically but while these steps are important they're not enough to truly secure the Border we have to change our laws and Congress needs to provide the necessary funding to hire 1,000 500 more border security agents 100 more.
Immigration judges to help tackle the backlog of cases more than 2 million of them 4,300 more Asylum officers to make decisions in less than 6 months instead of 6 years which is what it takes now and around 100 more high-tech detection machines to significantly increase the ability to screen and stop fentanyl being smuggled into the United.
States these Investments were one of the primary reasons that the border patrol Union endorsed the bipartisan deal in the first place these Investments are essential remain essential as far as I'm concerned if you're not willing to spend the money to hire more border patrol agents more Asylum officers more judges more high-tech Machinery you're just not.
Serious about protecting our border it's as simple as that I believe that immigration has always been a lifeblood of America we're constantly renewed by an infusion of people with and new Talent the Statute of Liberty is not some relic of American History it stands for who we are as a United States so I will never demonize immigrants I'll.
Never refer to immigrants as the poisoning the blood of a country and further I'll never separate children from their families at the border I will not ban people from this country because of the religious beliefs I will not use the US military to go into neighborhoods all across the country to pull millions of people out of their homes and away.
From their families to put detention camps and while awaiting deportation as my predecessor says he will do if he to occupies his office again on my f very first day as president I introduced a comprehensive immigration reform plan to fix to fix our broken system secure our border provide a Pathways for Citizens for dreamers and a lot more and I'm.
Still fighting to get that done but we must face the simple truth to protect America as a land that welcomes immigrants we must first secure the border and secure it now the simple truth is there is a worldwide migrant crisis and if the United States doesn't secure our border there's no limit to the number of people may try to come.
Here because there's no better place in the planet than the United States of America for those who say the steps I've taken are too strict I say to you that be patient and Goodwill of American people are going to wearing thin right now doing nothing is is not an option we have to act we must act consistent with both our law and our values our Valu As.
Americans I'll take these steps a day not to walk away from we who we are as Americans but to make sure we preserve who we are for future generations to come today I've spoken about what we need to do to secure the Border in the weeks ahead and I mean the weeks ahead I'll speak to how we can make our immigration system more fair and more.
Just let's fix the problem and stop fighting about I'm doing my part we're doing our part Congressional Republicans should do their part thank you very much you're taking this action on June the 4th Mr President the election is on September the was on November the 5th.
Why did you wait so long Mr President to take this action why did you wait so long Mr President to take this action that you're taking today with a war what was that I asked her is prime NE playing politics with the War I don't think so he's trying to work out a serious problem he.
has the election Mr President now Mr President the president there flanked by all his uh advisers supporters uh even DHS secretary Alejandro maoris as he's talking about uh securing the Border there announcing uh his set of major.
Executive actions on immigration of course a subject an issue a major problem looming large over uh the president's head as he uh comes close to uh the November election here um we've got our whole panel we've got Maria Vel she's there at the southern border in El Paso Texas uh we also have Elizabeth schilly for us.
At the White House our political director Rick Klein with us as well and former assistant secretary for public affairs at DHS she works side by side advising uh secretary mayorcas marshia Espinosa okay let's start with you Maria you are there let's just get right to what happens come midnight tonight you know I think the details of.
This are going to start to trickle down to the agents in the field right before uh President Biden went on to discuss this executive action we got a phone call from DHS basically saying listen we've had some very top level conversations with some of the big people that that need to have a say and need to have a seat at the table.
Eventually this information will get down and trickle down to the agents that are out in the field so I think that's what we're waiting for right now to see exactly what the details will be and how it can not only impact the agents in the field but also uh the nonprofit organizations and the city leaders that deal with this on a day-to-day basis I.
Have to say Kier though there were a couple of things that stuck out to me quite a bit um there was a reference to the fact that this will be for people that that do not come through a legal Port of Entry or use the cbp1 app we have to clarify that both of those options for migrants trying to request Asylum here in the US don't always work.
The way the Administration has intended them to I mean there is a minimal amount of appointments on that cbp1 app in the beginning there were a lot of glitches with that app a lot of concerns that were flagged by nonprofit organizations and also the ports of Entry they have a certain number of people that they allow to come through on a daily basis to.
Request Asylum so the idea that you only have those two options is very daunting to this group of Asylum Seekers that will likely be coming through uh areas that are not ports of Entry that are not going to be through the cbp1 app one other thing that really stuck out to me uh in today's discussion amongst many things is also the intent for the.
President to specifically reference the relationship that we have really tried to harness with Mexico before we went on over the last few hours we've had conversations with nonprofit organizations all along the Southwest border they talk about how the apprehension numbers right now are at a very low amount it's manageable for them.
Right now but they truly believe that that has happened over the last two or three months because of the efforts that we have seen from the secretary from secretary blinkin as well as from DHS uh secretary my orcus them coming together working closely with the immigration officials in Mexico as well to come up with solid Solutions uh that that both.
Sides can come to terms with Marca you work side by side with borcas when you were at DHS uh you you have read in detail what exactly these major executive actions mean how they will work let me take the same question to you commit night tonight is is the the Border will it just be shut down so the Border doesn't actually just.
Shut down what what is shut down are the um the restrictions for migrants who are crossing illegally the P ports of Entry will still be open for trade and travel and what the administration announced today is whenever it gets to a certain number of a very high number they will limit the or they will stop um people from claiming Asylum there are some.
Exceptions to that rule as well um so unaccompanied children don't fall into that bucket U people with medical emergencies and some other Exceptions there so what the administration is trying to do is incentivize legal lawful Pathways cbp1 or the processing centers in people's home countries that they can take before actually making the very.
Dangerous and unlawful Journey to the United States and Crossing uh unlawfully which faces uh several consequences there so president Maria hold just real quickly Maria but we what I'm told and what we we've seen is that we've already reached that threshold of numbers so wouldn't that mean come midnight tonight those seeking Asylum just it it it's not.
Going to happen it does take effect uh 1201 tonight and uh what they will look at is an average of the past seven days you have seen those numbers which are extremely high and border patrol has been doing what they can by to process and and uh do that humanely um but they they.
Will begin to start this unless something has stopped them in the courts okay yeah and I'm I'm looking I'm seeing the notes just coming across the the wires right now that starting at midnight tonight migrants will be turned away um okay Elizabeth let me ask you then a question there from the white house as soon as Biden started talking.
Looking at my notes here he went right to uh pointing the finger at Trump um saying uh that Trump is actually using this moment he says uh to to attack him uh already it looks like uh they're putting out word two uh basically throwing Biden under the bus saying hey look where were you four years ago now all of a sudden you're throwing this.
Hail Mary trying to do something as we approach November yeah and Kira it struck me too how his opening line Biden President Biden has actually said we had the strongest border agreement in decades and yet it fell apart in Congress because of former president Trump who urged Republicans not to get a deal done.
Because he didn't want to see progress on this issue ahead of the November election but what also struck me Kira is how in trying to make a make the point that his administration is different from former president Trump so the President Biden said we would never separate children we would never ban people of a certain religion tried to.
Lay out that he is taking what the White House would call a much more Humane approach to the imig mtion system which is something we've heard over and over again from this President and yet there has still been criticism from Progressive Democrats at the same time Kira he is trying to make this case that he's doing what he can he said Point.
Blank doing nothing is not an option and in some ways our colleagues who are in the room here at the White House pointed out that behind the president there were signs that say securing our border President Biden in a lot of ways that resembles the event the events and campaign speeches that we see from former president Trump which really.
Speaks the fact that Biden knows he has to go to the middle more on this issue than he has he's trying to walk that line very a very fine line here kir now Rick let's continue on the the angle of politics here the Biden Harris campaign putting out this statement one line in particular every American should know that Trump proudly killed the strongest.
Bipartisan border bill in a generation siding with fentanyl traffickers over the border patrol and our security I think we need to remind folks uh about Trump trump policy and what exactly he did do uh when he was president including um the miles and miles of the border wall yeah and I I think it is notable.
How how much Joe Biden used the time today to Define what he wasn't doing um as as Elizabeth just pointed out talking about the policies he wouldn't be putting in place because of the push back he's getting from inside his own party and it is striking to see so many of his allies saying look this is political and it's political you know it.
Won't work people aren't going to buy it you're not going to get any credit from the right on this you're not going to get credit from independent voters and the politics of immigration uh and the Border are clearly not in the favor of President Biden he's right that this border this bipartisan border Bill had a chance of passing the Senate until.
Donald Trump turned against it U but to to suggest that he's always had these these uh tough on uh on on on migrants or tough on Border policies uh positions is just not the case this is a shift by President Biden is and it is a shift that reflects the changing realities at the border and the changing realities as reflected in the.
Polls and what do the the polls and and voters say kind of give us a reality check Rick does it appear that the a president is is kind of making a punt here hoping to score in the last few seconds of the game well this is an issue that we've seen in our polling consistently favors president Trump people think he was would do a better.
Job than President Biden on this issue on issues of immigration and the Border also issues around National Security or or or crime in public safety I should say uh those are clear Trump issues now they may not always be there and there's a lot that the president has to do in terms of governing over this next half a year before the campaign and his hope is.
That the policy leads into good politics uh but this is not an issue where where he has been in a particularly strong position politically for a while and again it's driven by the events on the ground and we've seen it consistently particularly when there's more media cover aage of of surges at the border people to think tend to think that this.
Is a bigger deal and they're and they're putting more uh more blame on on President Biden's shoulders and marray I know that you were listening to this all unfold live and and uh you're with us now but you have been sort of getting a pulse leading up to this moment this announcement from the the communities.
There the Border communities those who live there and also the border patrol so your thoughts on uh what they think about these executive orders you know speaking with a number of key people that will be involved in this at some point the concern isn't necessarily what's going to happen today it's really what could potentially.
Happen in the weeks to come um because obviously we're going to see a lot of this play out in the court system so that's something we have to look for in the coming days but on top of that what sort of message is this going to send to those smuggling operations uh that that really try and capitalize on the confusion the chaos that is happening.
Here within our own country what exactly are the cartel is going to be telling migrants in order to get them here to the border now is a chance for you to come because right now if you don't come Biden is now going to shut down the border that is exactly what we heard three or four years ago during the Trump Administration come now come quick cuz.
Trump is going to shut down the border and that's exactly what we saw the biggest concern I think for nonprofit organizations is is the possibility of exception here when we had similar exceptions during the previous administration that allowed Smugglers to say all right listen the border is shut down however if you send your kids and.
They go live with their family in the United States then they will be able to get through and what did we see a large influx of unaccompanied miners coming to our borders I think that is really what is concerning nonprofit organiz the most right now is how do we prepare for that kind of chaos and confusion how do we stop it and prevent it before it.
Actually happens and that is where the unknowns are here so for me I think that is a big concern as well right here in the in the city of El Paso we had not too far from here uh 10 cities that were erected in the town of torneo uh that uh you know obviously that's what Biden just referred to a few minutes ago he doesn't want to do that but honestly.
Because we can't predict the future here uh there is a lot of possibility that we could see another influx based off of this uh decision that's been made today all right Maria Vel Elizabeth schy Mar esposa and Rick Klein thank you all so much attorney general merri Garland with a stark warning during his testimony on Capitol Hill.
Today baseless and extremely dangerous falsehoods are being spread about the FBI's law enforcement operations and it comes at a time when we are seeing heinous threats of violence being directed at the Justice Department's career civil servants these repeated attacks on the justice department are.
Unprecedented and they are unfounded Garland sparring with Republicans on the house Judiciary Committee over those accusations that the Biden justice department was somehow involved in Donald Trump's conviction of those 34 felony counts in New York no evidence to support that claim by the way and Garland adamantly denied it.
Let's take it now to our J O'Brien who's up on the hill so Garland really got into it with Republicans but he also had a pretty good exchange with Democratic congressman Adam Schiff yeah and by the way that hearing is still ongoing here it started at 10:00 this morning it's starting to wind down and the themes that we saw at 10:00.
This morning are still very much carrying their way here into the afternoon which is Republicans trying to make these proceedings in a way about that conviction of former president Trump last week in New York they have repeatedly accused the Department of Justice in some way of being connected to this case despite the fact that.
Garland has repeatedly said that the doj is the doj and the New York prosecutor is a local entity over which the doj has no Authority which is true Republicans have nonetheless still pushed Garland on that idea pushed him on what they allege as a weaponization of the Department of Justice Democrats have tried to get Garland uh to essentially defend himself.
Here's a little bit of Adam Schiff doing just that did you appoint uh Alvin Bragg to be Manhattan da no of course not he's elected did you select the jury in that case the judge selected the jury the well did you select the judge in that case no no of course not the judge was randomly selected did you select the.
Jury in that case no the jury was actually selected by Donal Trump and his attorneys did you reach a verdict in that case no did you instruct the jury in that case no did you tell the prosecutor What charges to bring in that case no nonetheless these allegations of a weaponization of the US justice system.
Hung over this hearing and one lawmaker asked Garland why he believes there are Americans who believe the US justice system is weaponized Garland's response to that was telling
