White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that the Biden administration’s efforts to help migrant teen workers are better than those during the Trump administration.
Jean-Pierre shared the questionable claim during a Monday daily briefing at the White House.
White House: Workplace Abuse of Teen Workers Better than Trump Policy https://t.co/Ke2b7JkVbb via @BreitbartNews
— PeaKayeBean (@PeaKayeBean1) March 1, 2023
The response
“So, I just want to be very clear here. Look, the New York Times story is heartbreaking and it is completely unacceptable. And this is something that we have taken action on. So, just also want to be clear on that,” she said.
“The President and his administration has long focused on — on making sure that this growing problem of child exploitation is dealt with,” she added.
Reporter: “Is there any agency, anyone who should be held accountable for the failure of oversight” that allowed thousands of migrant children to be exploited by traffickers?
Karine Jean-Pierre refuses to answer the question. pic.twitter.com/NoHzDh2Pak
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 27, 2023
The attack
The press secretary also attacked the Trump administration, suggesting that the Biden administration’s response is better.
“Look — so, here’s the thing: We’ve taken action to try and deal with a real issue — a really true issue that was exacerbated, let’s not forget, by the last administration,” Jean-Pierre told a reporter.
“And so, that’s what we walked into. HHS took action on day one. Let’s — if we take a step back — when we came into office, migrant children were being expelled to Mexico where they were subjected to gang violence and exploitation,” she added.
Hearing from CBP sources that January border numbers will be the lowest in nearly 2 years w/ roughly 150,000 migrant encounters, approx 130k Border Patrol apps between POEs. Known gotaways also lower, I’m told there were 48,200, down from recent months when we were seeing 70,000+
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) February 7, 2023
The facts say different
The facts, however, contradict the press secretary’s words. In January alone, 150,000 migrants crossed the southern border, with a likely 48,000 gotaways.
In the past five months, a number higher than the population of Delaware has crossed the southern border into the U.S., leaving room for widespread trafficking and abuse of teenagers.
The Biden administration’s policies have not improved the situation, but have made it worse by increasing the number of migrant children entering at a rate beyond what Border Patrol can control.
The White House may claim it is being more humane but Biden’s policies are only hurting our nation and many of those entering it.