President Joe Biden announced on Saturday that families of illegal aliens who were separated at the border “deserve” monetary compensation — after previously shooting the idea down.
After reports surfaced that the White House was considering $450,000 payouts to each individual who was separated from their family at the border, Biden said that it was “not going to happen” when questioned by the press.
However, during a Saturday press conference about the passage of the $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill the president changed his tune on and said that he had only said no to that specific dollar amount.
.@POTUS: “If in fact, because of the outrageous behavior of the last administration, you coming across the border, whether it was legal or illegal, and you lost your child, it’s gone, you deserve some kind of compensation, no matter what the circumstance.” https://t.co/YrL0LQRen1 pic.twitter.com/hxnrl6xtxB
— The Hill (@thehill) November 6, 2021
“Now here’s the thing. If in fact because of the outrageous behavior of the last administration, you coming across the border, whether it was legal or illegal, and you lost your child,” Biden said, wagging a finger and raising his voice. “You lost your child. It’s gone. You deserve some kind of compensation, no matter what the circumstance. What that will be, I have no idea.”
The White House had also said on Thursday that the government is willing to settle with the families out of court — claiming that it will “save taxpayer dollars” to pay off the illegal migrants.
“If it saves taxpayer dollars and puts the disastrous history of the previous administration’s use of zero tolerance and family separation behind us, the president is perfectly comfortable with the Department of Justice settling with the individuals and families who are currently in litigation with the United States government,” White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters.
