Joe Biden vigorously defends a plan to pay families who are separated at the Southern Border on Saturday. He did this after dismissing a report that said the payments totaled $450,000 as ‘garbage’.
Biden was discussing the passage at a conference of bipartisan infrastructure bills worth $1.2 trillion when he was questioned about the payments.
Fox News’ David Spunt inquired: “You stated last week that the report on migrants at the border receiving payments was rubbish.”
Biden interjected: ‘No, that’s not what I said. But, let’s be clear, it was your statement that everyone who crosses the border is eligible for $450,000.
Biden, who was criticizing President Donald Trump’s border policies, stated that he would make every effort to pay the families.
He stated, “If you actually, due to the outrageous behavior by the previous administration, you came across the border — whether it was illegal or legal – and you’ve lost your child? It’s gone. You deserve some sort of compensation, regardless of what the circumstances are.” I do not know what that compensation will look like.
Joe Biden fiercely supported a plan for payments to be sent to separated families at the southern border on Saturday
Biden was generally calm and forceful, however, he became more aggressive when it came to mentioning that the people at the border had ‘lost their children’.
Biden maintained that payments of up to $450,000 would not be made, and said they were a surprise.
Biden called the report declaring that $450,000 in payments was ‘garbage’ just days before.
Last week it was revealed that officials from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services are considering the payments that could total close to $1 million for two people within the same family, people familiar told the Wall Street Journal.
American Civil Liberties Union has identified 5,500 children that were separated from their parents at the border in the Trump-era.
The policy was first enacted by the Trump administration in April 2018. It was then repealed two months later, following much criticism in June.
It is possible that the total payout will exceed $1 billion.
Families who crossed illegally the US-Mexico border in order to seek asylum were subject to the ‘zero tolerance policy. The government found that the children and their parents could not be separated.
Biden’s administration may pay out $450,000 per family to those separated at the south border.
The payments could be as high as $1 million, according to officials from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services.
Many of these families now have the option to be released in the US Interior and requested to make an appearance at court on a future date. Title 42 of the coronavirus government health policy, which allows some to be deported, is used by others.
The lawsuit alleges that separated children lived in inadequate conditions and were often malnourished or exhausted from heat. They were also kept in cold, dark rooms without any medical attention. The families’ lawyers claim that the children suffered severe trauma due to the fear of losing their parents.
The WSJ reports that they are seeking a wide range of compensations. Family members average $3.4million.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (a Trump-supporter) said Tuesday that he is concerned about the payments. He called them a “slap in face” for Americans who are already having trouble making ends meet due to inflation.
Florida Governor. Ron DeSantis denounces reports that federal officials may pay up to $450,000 per individual for those who are separated from their families at border.
The proposed payments were a “slap in front of hardworking Americans,” he said.
When you stop and think about it, Americans get more gas. DeSantis stated during a conference that Americans are getting higher grocery bills. You’ve seen all manner of terrible policies across our country which have restricted freedom.
“And you’re about to make $475,000 to help an illegal immigrant to the country?” DeSantis decried.
Biden refuted the claim Wednesday and claimed that the media was distributing ‘garbage’
At a conference about the approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children aged 5-11 years, the 78 year-old Democrat was asked if the payments’may incentivize further people to come over illegally’.
Biden replied, “If you keep sending out that garbage, yes,” “But that’s false.
Then, he was asked, “So this garbage report?”
Biden did not change his aggressive reaction.
“Yeah. You’re saying $450,000 per head. Biden asked. Biden replied, “That is not going to happen.”
Biden was then subject to heavy criticism by liberal groups. The ACLU released a statement berating the Democrat.
“President Biden might not have been completely briefed on the actions of his own Justice Department as that carefully deliberated, considered and considered the crimes against thousands of children separated from their families as an intentional government policy,” ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero stated later Wednesday.
“But, if he continues to say what he stated, the president will abandon a core campaign promise of justice for thousands separated families. We respectfully remind President Biden that he called these actions ‘criminal’ in a debate with then-President Trump, and campaigned on remedying and rectifying the lawlessness of the Trump administration. We appeal to President Biden, “To right this national tragedy’s wrongs.”
At a White House press event on Wednesday, Biden was questioned by a Fox News reporter about the reported payments of migrants.
The saga continued into Thursday, when White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that President Biden is ‘perfectly comfortable’ with cash payouts to migrant families separated at the border, but insisted the settlements won’t be as high as $450,000.
Jean-Pierre, who was Jen Psaki’s representative after she received her COVID diagnosis and responded to Jen Psaki’s claim that settlements could amount to close to half a million dollars, said that settlements were taking place.
She said that the president was happy to let the Department of Justice settle with individuals and families currently involved with litigation against the US government if this saves taxpayer funds and makes the past history of our previous administration’s “zero tolerance” policy and family separation go behind us.
She didn’t give any details about the Biden Administration’s spending on the settlements, but referred all questions to the Department of Justice.
Karine Jean-Pierre, White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary, stated Thursday that President Biden was ‘perfectly content’ with cash payments to separated migrant families at the border. However she insisted that settlements will not exceed $450,000
The disputed financial offerings have been heavily criticized by Republicans, who unveiled On Thursday, legislation was passed to block the payment.
Representative Tom McClintock, a California lawmaker and ranking member of House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration and Citizenship is leading the lawmakers. In the midst of a long-running border crisis, McClintock said that the plan would ‘add insult to injury.
McClintock will introduce the Illegal Immigration Payoff Prohibition Act. Fox News reports that 137 Republican colleagues, including Kevin McCarthy, California’s House Minority Leader, and Jim Jordan, Ohio, will co-sponsor the bill.
The Republican Party is making a widespread attempt to stop the reported plans to pay up to $1,000,000 per family and $450,000 per person for illegal migrants crossing the border.
GOP legislators have fiercely criticized the proposal and compared it to someone entering your house with money.
It is designed to change the US attorney General’s ability to make financial settlements.
Biden’s Attorney general Merrick Garland will be prevented from paying undocumented migrants payments if the bill is passed. This would include those who have violated immigration laws or entered the country illegally.
Pijijiapan Mexico, November 3, 2013: Migrants relax in public as they embark on a caravan headed to Mexico City. Reports indicate that many are hoping to make it to the US’s southern border.
Critics of the reported $450,000 payment plan have said it’ll encourage more migrants to come to the US border, after record numbers of asylum-seekers were already encountered by officers since Biden took office (pictured: Migrants line up for food during a resting day, as they take part in a caravan heading to Mexico City, in Pijijiapan, Mexico November 3)
‘Law-abiding, hardworking Americans have seen their purchasing power decimated by Biden’s economic policies while he has surrendered our southern border,’ McClintock said in a statement obtained by Fox.
‘Paying illegal immigrants $450,000 apiece as an apology for Trump’s decision to enforce our immigration law adds insult to injury. Congress has the power of the purse, and that’s why we must act today to stop this outrageous plan in its tracks.
The lawyers for the family and government both said that settlements are in progress and they hope to complete them by the end November.
Some government lawyers object to the proposed payments, saying they are too high for those who have knowingly broken the law crossing borders. A government lawyer threatened to withdraw his name in protest of the possible settlement.
A government lawyer stated that payouts to victims’ families could exceed the amount the government had paid Gold Star families or families affected by 9/11. A second dispute this claim, pointing out that the US government wasn’t directly responsible for 9/11. Average payouts per family were $2million, with no tax.
So far, 45 House Republicans including House Minority Whip Steve Scalise, GOP Caucus Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik and Rep. Dan Crenshaw, have put their name to a demanding answers from the Biden administration.
The letter stated that ‘promising thousands of dollars to illegally entered the United States would reward criminal behavior but also send out a signal to the rest of the world that our borders remain open and the rule of law is not being enforced.
The payments could be as high as $1 million, according to officials from the Departments of Justice, Homeland Security, and Health and Human Services.
The 2021 fiscal year ended September 30 saw a record number of families trying to illegally enter the US. That’s an increase from the record-breaking 1.6million in 2000. There were more than 479,000 families and 147,000 unaccompanied children.
A lack of adequate tracking systems led to many being away for extended periods. They are meant to be a compensation for the events that occurred.
Family lawyers are seeking legal permanent status for all those who have been separated by the April 2018 practice of former President Trump.
After much controversy, a judge stopped the proceedings in June 2018 after Trump had suspended them amid international backlash.
Families who crossed illegally the US-Mexico border in order to seek asylum were subject to the ‘zero tolerance policy. The government found that the children and their parents could not be separated.
Under the Biden administration, many families are released into the interior of the US and asked to appear in court at a later date
Many of these families now have the option to be released in the US Interior and requested to make an appearance at court on a future date. Title 42 of the coronavirus government health policy, which allows some to be deported, is used by others.
According to lawsuits, the children who were separated were placed in poor living conditions. Family lawyers argue that children were subject to long-lasting trauma as a result of the separation from their parents.
Biden’s administration repeatedly condemned the policy as cruel and inhumane, and has promised to reunite families that are still apart.
Earlier this month, Michelle Brane, head of the Family Reunification Task Force, said that the Biden team had only been able to reunite 52 of the over 1,000 families separated under the policy who have not yet found each other.
Brane stated that he estimates over 1000 people are separated. He said this on CBS’ 60 Minutes, October 12, 2012. It’s difficult to determine because of the lack of records.
“So, there is nowhere to look to determine who has been separated.” The detective work is done on a case by case basis.
According to reports, the task force is currently reuniting 200 additional members.
The grant of parole is granted to reunited families for three years. This allows them to legally live and work in the US, but not to become citizens.