White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday downplayed the Biden administration reportedly flying planeloads of illegal immigrants into Florida and New York late at night, saying that the flights were actually “early flights — earlier than you might like to take a flight.”
“Why is the administration flying thousands of migrants from the border to Florida and New York in the middle of the night?” a reporter asked Psaki.
“Well, I’m not sure that’s in the middle of the night, but let me tell you what’s happening here,” Psaki claimed.
“2:13 a.m., 4:29 a.m. — very early in the morning then,” the reporter responded. “Pre-dawn.”
“Well, here — here we are talking about early flights — earlier than you might like to take a flight,” Psaki responded. “It is our legal responsibility to safely care for unaccompanied children until they swiftly — can be swiftly unified with a parent or a vetted sponsor. And that’s something we take seriously; we have a moral ri- — obligation to come to do that and deliver on that.”
“In recent weeks, unaccompanied children passed through the Westchester airport, which I think is what you’re referring to, en route to their final destination to be unified with their parents or a vetted sponsor,” she continued. “It’s no surprise that kids can be seen traveling through states, not just New York. It’s something that we’re also working to unite children with their family members or vetted sponsors in other parts of the country as well.”
WATCH:
DOOCY TIME (from earlier — wasn't at my desk when it aired): "Why is the administration flying thousands of migrants from the border to FL & NY in the middle of the night?"
Psaki: "Well I'm not sure that it's in the middle of the night, but let me tell you what's happening[.]" pic.twitter.com/HOjgU5fbho
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 19, 2021
TRANSCRIPT PROVIDED VIA THE WHITE HOUSE:
REPORTER: Thank you, Jen. Why is the administration flying thousands of migrants from the border to Florida and New York in the middle of the night?
JEN PSAKI, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Well, I’m not sure that’s in the middle of the night, but let me tell you what’s happening here.
REPORTER: 2:13 a.m., 4:29 a.m. — very early in the morning then. Pre-dawn.
PSAKI: Well, here — here we are talking about early flights — earlier than you might like to take a flight.
It is our legal responsibility to safely care for unaccompanied children until they swiftly — can be swiftly unified with a parent or a vetted sponsor. And that’s something we take seriously; we have a moral ri- — obligation to come to do that and deliver on that.
As a part of the unification process, our Office of Refugee Resettlement facilitates travel for children in its custody to their families or sponsors across the country. So, in recent weeks, unaccompanied children passed through the Westchester airport, which I think is what you’re referring to, en route to their final destination to be unified with their parents or a vetted sponsor.
It’s no surprise that kids can be seen traveling through states, not just New York. It’s something that we’re also working to unite children with their family members or vetted sponsors in other parts of the country as well.