CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta lied about remarks that President Donald Trump made during a speech on Thursday about an overhaul to the nation’s immigration system.
During the speech, Acosta tweeted: “Trump in Rose Garden speech paints asylum seekers with broad brush accusing them of misleading immigration authorities at border: ‘These are frivolous claims.'”
Acosta’s claim is false.
Trump made a clear distinction between legitimate asylum seekers and illegitimate asylum seekers in his speech, saying: “Unfortunately, legitimate asylum seekers are being displaced by those lodging frivolous claims. These are frivolous claims to gain admission into our country.”
Here is the full transcript of Trump’s remarks:
We must also restore the integrity of our broken asylum system. Our nation has a proud history of affording protection to those fleeing government persecutions. Unfortunately, legitimate asylum seekers are being displaced by those lodging frivolous claims. These are frivolous claims to gain admission into our country. Asylum abuse also strains our public school systems, our hospitals, and local shelters, using funds that we should, and that have to go to elderly veterans, at risk youth, Americans in poverty, and those in genuine need of protection. We’re using the funds that should be going to them. And that shouldn’t happen. And it’s not going to happen in a very short period of time. I have to get this approved. My plan expedites relief for legitimate asylum seekers by screening out the meritless claims. If you have a proper claim, you will quickly be admitted. If you don’t, you will promptly be returned home.
The Center for Immigration Studies tweeted: “In fact, President Trump said that ‘legitimate asylum seekers’ are disadvantaged by frivolous claims. The president is correct. Out of every 100 migrants who make credible fear claims, only 13 are ultimately granted asylum. 52 don’t even file for asylum.”
Tim Murtaugh tweeted: “This is a lie and @Acosta is intentionally changing @realDonaldTrump’s meaning. What POTUS actually said was ‘unfortunately legitimate asylum asylum-seekers are being replaced by those lodging frivolous claims — these are frivolous claims to gain admission into our country.'”
The Trump Campaign tweeted: “You know there’s video proving you’re lying, right? Trump: ‘Our nation has a proud history of affording protection to those fleeing government persecutions. Unfortunately, legitimate asylum seekers are being displaced by those lodging frivolous claims….My plan expedites relief'”
“How can you do this and go home at night thinking you’ve turned in an honest day’s work as a journalist?” the Trump Campaign added.
The Free Beacon noted that Acosta also retweeted an apparent lie from NBC News reporter Julia Edwards Ainsley, who was “fact-checking” Trump during the speech.
“Trump: most claims by families cross the border are frivolous,” Ainsley tweeted. “Fact: fewer than 1 percent of families crossing turn out not to be legitimate.”
“That tweet was also incorrect; Trump at no point said that a majority of claims were frivolous,” the Free Beacon reported.
Furthermore, in an interview last week, Acting ICE Director Matthew T. Albence said: “In just a couple of weeks, we’ve interviewed 256 family units and identified 65 fraudulent families. Almost three out of every ten families we’ve interviewed have become fraudulent.”