“The Fact of the Matter Is the Border Is Closed”: Karine Jean-Pierre on Mass Death of Illegal Alien Migrants in Texas Truck Smuggling Attempt

The Biden administration initially responded Tuesday to news of a reported fifty illegal alien migrants being killed in a truck smuggling attempt in Texas Monday, with White House Press Secretary telling reporters on Air Force One while flying over Europe, “the border is closed” as a reason why the migrants were being smuggled in that manner. The migrants were found in the back of the truck without air conditioning or water in the sweltering south Texas heat. Reportedly sixteen survivors were found.

Biden left Germany on Tuesday, where he attended the weekend G7 meeting, to head to Spain for a NATO summit.


File screen image.

As to whether the border is closed, hundreds if not thousands of illegal aliens are crossing the open border every day to be processed by Border Patrol knowing that most of them will not be deported by the Biden administration. Rather, they will be transported by the Biden administration to their final destination within the United States, with unaccompanied minors now set to be sent to a luxury camp in North Carolina.

On Monday hundreds of illegal aliens crossed unimpeded from Mexico into Eagle Pass, Texas.

Border reporter Todd Bensman blamed Biden for the deaths, noting that Biden has gutted immigration enforcement beyond the 100 mile Border Patrol zone, “There is now a special place in hell for Biden & progressives behind the deportation-sanctuary built inside America. Their poor victims, knowing they can’t be deported 100 miles in, died reaching for the Biden free zone. Hearings!”

Audio of Jean-Pierre:

White House transcript:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure. I don’t have — I don’t have a topper, but whatever — what do you guys want to talk about?

Q Can you tell us about what the White House’s reaction is to this incident in San Antonio with the migrants found in the truck and if this points to a larger problem on the border?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It’s devastating. So, we’re closely monitoring the absolutely horrific and heartbreaking reports out of San Antonio, Texas. And I can tell you the President has been briefed and is going to continue to be regularly updated.

Our prayers are with those who tragically lost their lives, their loved ones, as well as those still fighting for their lives.

We’re also grateful for the swift work of federal, state, and local first responders.

As Secretary Mayorkas said, “Far too many lives have been lost…[to] this dangerous journey.” We will continue to take action to disrupt human smuggling networks, which have no regard for lives. They explo- — exploit and endanger in order to make a profit.

As you know, the Department of Homeland Security is closely handling this and watching this as well. So, any specifics, I would refer you to them.

Q Karine —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q — Republican lawmakers blame the President and his policies for the — for that loss of life. I was wondering if you have any response to that. And does the President believe that the continued sort of — you know, his inability to lift border protections by those two federal court orders may have contributed to this tragedy?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, 46 people died — right? — in the state of Texas, and so — and others, as I just mentioned, are still fighting for their lives.

So we’re still learning their names. Their families are still learning they lost loved ones, as when a tragic situation normally happens. We’re focused on them, on the facts, and holding the human strugglers [smugglers] who endangered vulnerable individual — individuals for profits accountable.

And we’re — and we’re focused on continuing our historic actions to disrupt dangerous smuggling networks, including through a new anti-smuggling campaign that just in the first two months resulted in over 1,800 arrests. But the fact of the matter is the border is closed, which is in part why you see people trying to make this dangerous journey using smuggling networks.

Again, our hearts go out to the families at this time. We are going to stay focused on the facts and making sure that we hold these smugglers accountable. That’s going to be our focus.

Yeah.

Photo of author
Kristinn Taylor has contributed to The Gateway Pundit for over ten years. Mr. Taylor previously wrote for Breitbart, worked for Judicial Watch and was co-leader of the D.C. Chapter of FreeRepublic.com. He studied journalism in high school, visited the Newseum and once met David Brinkley.

You can email Kristinn Taylor here, and read more of Kristinn Taylor's articles here.

 

Thanks for sharing!