White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed during Wednesday’s press briefing that President Joe Biden has visited the U.S. border.
Jean-Pierre made the claim in response to a question from Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy regarding whether Biden would visit the border with potential future House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA).
“So, look, he’s been there. He’s been to the border,” Jean-Pierre claimed without evidence. “And since he took office —”
The Washington Post previously fact-checked a claim from Biden about visiting the border and found that he only went once during “a brief drive-by” while “on a campaign swing in 2008.”
Doocy immediately interjected and asked when Biden went to the border, to which Jean-Pierre responded, “Since he took office, the — President Biden has been taking action to fix our immigration system and secure our border.”
“But, you know, that — we’re not seeing that from Republicans,” she deflected. “We’re not seeing a willingness to work with us on — on, you know, fixing a situation that’s been around for decades now.”
“Instead, they’re — they’re doing political stunts,” she claimed. “That’s what they want to do. That’s how they want to take care of this situation.”
WATCH:
Asked if President Biden will accept @GOPLeader Kevin McCarthy’s invitation to visit the crisis at the southern border, @PressSec…
❌ *laughs*
❌ Says Biden has been to the border (he hasn’t)
❌ Pushes Biden’s bill that would grant amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants pic.twitter.com/v103a0JaLS
— Chad Gilmartin (@ChadGilmartinCA) November 30, 2022
TRANSCRIPT:
PETER DOOCY: Thank you, Karine. Kevin McCarthy says that he invited President Biden down to the border. Has the President RSVPed?
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: To — (Laughs.)
DOOCY: Well, we know — we know the President has never been down to the border. The possible next Speaker says that he wants him to go with him. So, is he going to?
JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, he’s been there. He’s been to the border. And since he took office —
DOOCY: When — when did he go to the border?
JEAN-PIERRE: Since he took office, the — President Biden has been taking action to fix our immigration system and secure our border. And that’s why, on day one, he put forward an immigration — immigration reform — a piece of legislation to deal with what is currently happening at the border.
But, you know, that — we’re not seeing that from Republicans. We’re not seeing a willingness to work with us on — on, you know, fixing a situation that’s been around for decades now.
Instead, they’re — they’re doing political stunts. That’s what they want to do. That’s how they want to take care of this situation.
But, in the meantime, you know, the President has secured record levels of funding for the Department of Homeland Security. We have over 23,000 agents working to secure the border. We’ve taken thousands of smugglers off the streets, and we’re cutting down on asylum processing times. And the number of individuals arriving unlawfully from northern Central America and Venezuela is coming down significantly because of the actions that the President has taken.
Related: Joe Rogan Torches Karine Jean-Pierre For ‘Gaslighting’: ‘F***ing Everybody Hates You’