WATCH: Cruz blasts Biden as ‘best thing that ever happened to the Mexican drug cartels’

Heather Hamilton

March 08, 06:39 AM March 08, 06:39 AM

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) did not hold back when expressing his frustration over what he called President Joe Biden’s weak leadership concerning the border crisis.

Cruz said the recent kidnapping of four Americans, two of whom have been confirmed dead, is indicative of the “chaos” that Biden’s policies have created.

TWO OF FOUR KIDNAPPED AMERICANS FOUND DEAD IN MEXICO

“Those who kill American citizens must be held accountable,” Cruz said on Jesse Watters Primetime. “This wouldn’t happen if we had responsible presidential leadership. Joe Biden created the chaos at the border. Joe Biden stopped building the wall, he reinstated 'Catch and Release.' He pulled out of ‘Remain in Mexico,’ and what Joe Biden has done is he has turned these vicious narco-terrorists into billionaires.”

"Joe Biden becoming president is the best thing that ever happened to the Mexican drug cartels," Cruz added.

The Texas senator blasted the Biden administration, including White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, for “no shortage of disastrous statements when it comes to the open border.”

“Karine Jean-Pierre saying fentanyl has never been better — I actually wonder if the reporters in the briefing room scooted back afraid that lightning was going to hit the podium,” Cruz said. “I mean, good God!”

“Last year, we had the highest number of drug overdoses in the history of our country. Over 100,000 drug overdoses in the United States, a majority of which came from Chinese fentanyl flooding across this border,” Cruz continued. “Joe Biden and the Democrats are responsible for turning these vicious murderers into multi-billionaires.”

Cruz suggested additional “pressure” must be placed on the Mexican government to stop the border crisis.

“The answer is put pressure on Mexico and have the Mexican army show up, arrest these guys, extradite them to the United States,” Cruz said. “They need to be prosecuted and face the full force of American justice, and if we had a president with a scintilla of willingness to stand up to other nations, that’s exactly what would be happening right now.”

‘Could hear the president cursing’: Biden furious about border early on in administration

Cami Mondeaux

December 30, 08:33 AM December 30, 08:33 AM

President Joe Biden was reportedly furious about the surge of immigrants illegally crossing the southern border during the first months of his administration, making him angrier than any other policy issue.

In the first six months of Biden’s White House term, the president could often be heard cursing in frustration at the lack of action taken at the southern border, according to the forthcoming book The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden’s White House by Chris Whipple. Biden had already appointed Vice President Kamala Harris as the “border czar,” a position that led to harsh criticism as the number of immigrants arriving at the border continued to increase.

ABBOTT HITS BACK AT ‘HYPOCRITE IN CHIEF’ AFTER CRITICISM FOR BUSING IMMIGRANTS TO DC ON CHRISTMAS EVE

“Illegal immigrants kept arriving. And Biden was furious,” Whipple wrote, according to a copy of the book obtained by the Hill. “From all over the West Wing, you could hear the president cursing, dropping f-bombs (he’d always apologize when women were present).”

Biden was especially frustrated by the lack of solutions to address the problem, a struggle the president is still grappling with nearly two years into his presidency amid record-high immigration numbers. Roughly 411,000 illegal immigrants were encountered at the southern border in October and November, according to the Center for Immigration Studies — surpassing the total number of immigrants who were apprehended at the border for all of fiscal 2020.

Harris’s allies reportedly complained about the vice president’s responsibility on the issue, according to Whipple, often lamenting that Biden was setting her up for failure by giving her the position. Others pointed to Republicans’ criticisms of her job performance as a way to get rid of her.

“I think there is a definite targeting of the vice president that has nothing to do with her assignment,” a senior adviser told Whipple. “And it has everything to do with who she is and the desire by some in the right wing to make her gone.”

The Fight of His Life: Inside Joe Biden’s White House is set to be released on Jan. 17.

Sun Bowl cancels El Paso event after facility is turned into 1,000-cot shelter for immigrants

Anna Giaritelli

December 23, 07:41 PM December 23, 08:23 PM

EL PASO, Texas — A major community event on the eve of the Sun Bowl college football game next week has been canceled as a result of the city’s decision to use the convention center to house up to 1,000 immigrants living on the streets downtown.

The Sun Bowl Association announced this week that it had axed the 2022 Sun Bowl Fan Fiesta on Thursday in response to Democratic Mayor Oscar Leeser’s state of emergency declaration earlier this month.

“The mayor has declared a little humanitarian state of emergency,” Sun Bowl Association Executive Director Bernie Olivas said in an announcement Wednesday. “They are using the convention center to house some of these poor immigrants that are looking for shelter somewhere, so we have canceled the Fan Fiesta.”

The Sun Bowl college football game dates back to 1935, and this year's matchup features UCLA and Pittsburgh. As the game and other bowls have become bigger attractions, other events have been added to the weekend, such as the fan fiesta, which unites the community.

TEXAS MILITARY HELPS REGAIN CONTROL OF BORDER AMID EL PASO EMERGENCY

The fan fiesta that takes place on the eve of the big game was also canceled in 2020 and 2021 amid the coronavirus pandemic outbreak. The last one that took place in 2019 boasted a fireworks show, a battle of the bands, live entertainment, performances by local cheerleaders, on-site food vendors, and activities for children.

The convention center has been converted into temporary housing for immigrants released by federal immigration officials after they illegally crossed the border. More than 10,000 immigrants were released into El Paso last week and more than 84,000 in a four-month period that ended in early December, according to publicly available city data.

The Washington Examiner observed hundreds of immigrants on the street in a couple of spots downtown this week. Immigrants were on the street after being released by Border Patrol to religious groups and nonprofit organizations that do not have the room or resources to take in as many people as is needed.

Fewer than 200 immigrants stayed at the convention center on Wednesday night, as well as Thursday night, El Paso Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino said in a phone call Friday afternoon. The high number of beds left unused was not accidental but intentional, he said.

“We’re preparing for when Title 42 goes away,” he said, referring to a federal clause that, when canceled, is expected to result in more immigrants coming across the border into El Paso. Title 42 was slated to end Wednesday, but it remains in place following a Supreme Court temporary stay. “Of course time is more advantageous to us. It lets us prepare.”

The city’s approach avoids setting smaller operations and then needing to scale up with no time to prepare.

“We’re also looking at the next two facilities that we’ll stand up as shelters,” D’Agostino said.

The city is working to acquire two empty schools to house immigrants. The schools each had 1,500 students enrolled and could facilitate immigrants in classrooms and public spaces such as the cafeteria and the gym.

The convention center downtown opened to immigrants on Wednesday evening, according to D’Agostino, as an unusually cold weather system moved into the region. One reporter filmed immigrants being walked to a back entrance of the facility where trucks unload.

“We want to make sure they are out of the elements, they’re safe, they’re secure, there’s security here, and they’ll have meals provided,” said D’Agostino during an invite-only press conference with reporters Wednesday.

Despite the opening of the temporary shelter, hundreds of immigrants slept Wednesday evening body-to-body on the sidewalk outside the Sacred Heart Church downtown and a block from the Greyhound Bus Station, which is next to the convention center.

A front desk associate at the Hotel Paso Del Norte, a luxury hotel by Marriott International located one block from the convention center, said the cancellation had not significantly affected the number of guests expected to stay at the hotel.

“People are just calling in beforehand asking if it's safe to be here in El Paso, just with everything going on,” said an employee, Julia, on Friday morning. “These people are just trying to get from Point A to Point B just like you and me. They’re — they’re contained in their own spot. They’re not there wandering around.”

The Washington Examiner was unable to obtain interviews with Leeser, the police department, or the county sheriff’s office.

A request to tour the facility Friday morning was denied. As this reporter called El Paso city spokespeople outside, El Paso Live’s Director of Event Services Matt Christmas confronted the reporter and had two security officers escort her off the property.

The city expects $6 million in funding from the federal government to help cover the cost of operations. It has yet to be reimbursed for the spending thus far, D’Agostino said.

White House says Biden has 'done the work' on securing the border

W. James Antle III

December 15, 05:58 PM December 15, 05:58 PM

The White House said Thursday that President Joe Biden has put in “the work” on securing the border, despite record illegal immigration for much of his term, and challenged congressional Republicans to do the same.

Republican operatives quickly mocked the comment. A migration surge began shortly after Biden took office and immigration is consistently one of the areas where he has some of his lowest job approval ratings.

THE WHITE HOUSE’S REVISIONIST HISTORY ON BIDEN’S GAY MARRIAGE STANCE

"The president has done the work to deal with what we are seeing at the border since day one,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at Thursday’s briefing.

Jean-Pierre added that the administration has done that work “on our own,” because congressional Republicans have not voted for their preferred immigration and government funding legislation.

The contention that Republicans are more interested in “political stunts” than securing the border or addressing immigration has become a common refrain in Jean-Pierre’s daily briefings.

“We know how to work with Republicans; Republicans know how to work with us,” she said on Tuesday. “So why don't they work with us on this particular issue that is important to — important to Americans across the country? And we're asking for them to join us on this.”

“One of the first things [Biden] did was put forth a comprehensive immigration reform, which included DACA, which included making sure we protect the border,” the president’s top spokeswoman said last week. “And he was very clear this was a priority for him.”

Federal authorities encountered 2.76 million people attempting to cross the border illegally in the last fiscal year.

On Monday, officials reported encountering 16,000 immigrants in just the last 48 hours.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas received a chilly reception from Border Patrol agents when he visited El Paso, Texas. The incoming House Republican majority has contemplated impeaching him.

Vice President Kamala Harris has been panned for her handling of the migration issue since it was added to her policy portfolio earlier during the administration.

Biden himself came under fire for a dismissive answer about visiting the border during a trip to Arizona.

"I don't know why they keep avoiding the border and saying there are other things more important than visiting the border," Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX) complained.

Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) made a visit to the border in Biden's stead.

A WHD News poll earlier this month found that 61% disapproved of Biden’s performance on immigration and the border.

Pointing to migrant deaths, illegal border crossers who have gotten away, the flow of fentanyl into the country, and overwhelmed communities, the Republican National Committee’s Tommy Pigott said, “That is the ‘work’ Biden has done — not alone, but with the help of Democrats in Congress — and it has cost thousands of lives."

Bipartisan talks on an immigration overhaul stalled this week.

When the Republicans take over the House in January, the prospects of such legislation will grow dimmer, and key committees will hold hearings on Biden and the border.

US must have 'record' financial investment at the border to halt terrorists: John Kirby

Ryan King

September 24, 03:25 PM September 24, 03:25 PM

In purchase to safeguard the United States from any felony features slipping in by way of the southern border, the Biden administration sought a "document" volume of financial commitment in protection actions, according to White House Nationwide Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

When underscoring that the Biden administration is "operating really hard to secure the border" and has troops stationed there to help the Border Patrol, Kirby threw shade at Republicans for blocking the "record" degree of border funding the Biden administration pursued from Congress previously this yr.

DESANTIS ADMINISTRATION FACES LAWSUIT FROM FLORIDA LAWMAKER Above MIGRANT FLIGHTS

"We continue to have troops that are down there aiding Border Patrol officers to check out to focus on this. We requested for document concentrations of funding for DHS. Sad to say, there was no Republican assistance for that," Kirby explained to WHD News Electronic.

In April, Republicans opposed a funding ask for from the Biden administration to tackle the expiration of the pandemic-period Title 42 plan, which denied immigrants entry at the border to assistance sluggish the spread of the coronavirus. Republicans had been opposed to allowing that plan to expire in the 1st area.

Kirby was pressed on no matter if he believed it was a wise plan to permit an open border amid remnants of terrorist groups, this kind of as the Islamic State and al Qaeda, reportedly running in the region. So considerably, the U.S. had a report 2.3 million arrests at the U.S.-Mexico border for the fiscal 12 months of 2022, which ends Friday.

"We are doing the job really hard to secure the border by way of trying to spend in innovative abilities," Kirby pressured in reaction to Fox Digital. "So, we're going to continue to keep at this, and we naturally want to unquestionably really encourage more aid coming from the Republican side for some of the points that we're seeking to do."

A amount of Republican-led states have begun sending illegal immigrants to metropolitan areas run by Democrats in protest of the mass inflow, which includes asylum-seekers pouring as a result of the southern border. Previously this month, for example, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent two busloads of immigrants shut to the home of Vice President Kamala Harris.

In addition to border security problems, Kirby also lambasted Russian President Vladimir Putin for leaning on nuclear weapons as "blackmail" in opposition to the West.

"I can explain to you, we have observed no indication that tells us we have to have to improve our strategic deterrent posture. Rather than blustering and professing he's staying blackmailed by other nations about the planet, he wants to finish the war," the Countrywide Stability Council spokesman explained. "He wants to pull his troops out. It could conclude now if he would do the suitable thing."

Jean-Pierre: 'I unquestionably do not want lectures' about southern border

Christian Datoc

September 06, 01:52 PM September 06, 01:52 PM

White Property push secretary Karine Jean-Pierre shot down a criticism from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) Tuesday about her past opinions about migration at the southern border.

Cruz, responding to Jean-Pierre's assert that migrants usually are not illegally crossing the border on foot, invited Jean-Pierre to stop by the border with him to witness the crossings in person.

BORDER PATROL: Eight MIGRANTS Useless, More than 30 RESCUED In the vicinity of EAGLE Pass

"I have been to the border. I went in 2018. I stood exterior facilities exactly where the Trump administration was separating people, tearing infants out of their mother's arms," she explained when asked about Cruz's reviews in the course of Tuesday's push briefing. "Some of all those kids nonetheless haven't been reunited with their people, and so, a person detail I will say is I absolutely you should not need lectures or invites from Republicans about the border or border procedures."

Jean-Pierre more criticized the Texas senator for voting in opposition to funding for the Section of Homeland Security involved in President Joe Biden's budget requests.

"Whilst people are sending invites, I will use this chance to, to invite him or any one else up coming time to vote for history funding for DHS, as President Biden has asked for," she reported.

Later on for the duration of the briefing, Jean-Pierre did handle the drowning of 10 migrants trying to get to cross the Rio Grande to obtain entry to the nation.

"That is tragic. When we listen to news like that, our hearts go out to the family members, definitely, and that is why we check out to function incredibly tough to secure the border and make confident that we really don't see those sorts of tragedies and heartbreaks," Jean-Pierre mentioned. "The Office of Homeland Protection is doing work really tricky on continuing to secure our border, to do function that was not carried out in the earlier various decades, and so, we're going to proceed to emphasis on that."

You can enjoy Tuesday's briefing in complete beneath.

Who's the manager?

W. James Antle III

June 02, 11:00 PM June 02, 11:01 PM

The midterm elections are continue to months absent, but the recriminations have previously started off. Democratic lawmakers, operatives, and even President Joe Biden are finding quoted in the media expressing irritation with the White House. In addition, there are rumors main of employees Ron Klain could be on his way out before November.

When it comes to the palace intrigue, the veracity of precise reviews is less critical than the White Household starting to grow to be a leaky vessel. As Biden’s career approval rankings began their first descent final summer months, the West Wing remained somewhat peaceful and secure, with the sizeable exception of Vice President Kamala Harris’s business.

Now, key Biden lieutenants such as former White Property press secretary Jen Psaki and erstwhile head of the White Home Business office of General public Engagement Cedric Richmond have begun heading towards the exits. Virtually two dozen black staffers have left or are claimed to be considering their departures from the Biden team, a phenomenon present and previous officers explained to Politico as “Blaxit.” Richmond, who stays a vocal Biden defender from his new perch at the Democratic National Committee, is black, but Psaki was changed by Karine Jean-Pierre, the to start with black White Property press secretary.

Due to the fact using office environment, complications have plagued Biden, 1st with the migration surge at the southwestern border, adopted by the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, then inflation spiking to a 40-12 months higher. A little one components shortage has hit the country, and as soon as crimson-warm economic advancement is exhibiting indicators of cooling, with GDP contracting marginally during the to start with quarter of the calendar year.

The White House has continued to keep that couple of these challenges were self-inflicted or the consequence of deliberate coverage options the president manufactured. The White Residence claims Biden’s two most considerable legislative achievements, the $1.9 trillion partisan American Rescue System and the $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill, have pushed most of the financial restoration but none of the inflation.

But the White Property was warned about inflation, most prominently by former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, a top economic adviser to Democratic Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Jared Bernstein of the White Home Council of Economic Advisers identified as one of Summers’s content wanting to know no matter whether Biden's deputies ended up taking inflation very seriously plenty of “flat-out erroneous.”

“Janet Yellen is our treasury secretary,” Bernstein stated at a White Dwelling press briefing in February 2021. “She knows a very little one thing about inflationary risks.” When citing numerous of the identical variables favored in administration talking factors about the resources of substantial inflation, these as Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, Yellen explained to CNN late previous month, "I believe I was mistaken then about the route that inflation would take.” The Federal Reserve Lender of Chicago mentioned in an April 2021 letter about the American Rescue Program, "The upswing in expansion is most likely to raise source pressures and thus customer value inflation as nicely."

It’s not the only indication of self-doubt to emanate from the administration. Biden’s unique southern border coordinator conceded final year that border “surges are likely to reply to hope” and that the “idea that a extra humane policy would be in position,” specially, Biden’s immigration policy as opposed to previous President Donald Trump’s, “may have driven people today to make that final decision.” Furthermore, Biden’s Fda Commissioner Robert Califf testified his agency’s infant components shortage reaction was “too sluggish, and there had been decisions that had been suboptimal along the way.”

Biden is amongst the critics of the latter. "I became informed of this difficulty someday in — right after April or in early April about how intense it was. And so, we did everything in our power from that place on," he mentioned at a White Household celebration the working day following NBC News reported he was “annoyed that he was not alerted faster.”

"I really don't have a timeline on that,” Jean-Pierre later told reporters. “All I can explain to you, as a full-of-federal government strategy, we have been functioning on this because February." She was then questioned about her obvious discrepancy with Biden’s timeline. "No, I am not questioning the president at all,” Jean-Pierre said. “I'm just declaring I have not spoken to the president.”

The report about Biden’s formula frustrations also described him as “unhappy” about aides’ makes an attempt to clean up his “clear and succinct” statements, amplifying Republican criticisms that he is not genuinely in command. A White House spokesperson speedily disputed this on Twitter.

Biden has lengthy been known as an undisciplined speaker, a trait that is less problematic as a senator than commander in chief. But the to start with credible accounts of finger-pointing in the White Property could be a signal that the chronic optimism that better messaging that would direct to far better poll quantities is just close to the corner is starting to ebb, leaving a blame match above what guarantees to be a dispiriting election cycle.