Republican Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso blasted President Joe Biden’s decision to place Vice President Kamala Harris in charge of the administration’s response to the crisis at the U.S. southern border.
Barrasso claimed in a Tuesday appearance on Fox News’ “The Story With Martha MacCallum” that Harris supports amnesty for illegal immigrants and therefore should not be leading the effort to solve the crisis. (RELATED: Biden Admin Border Official Dodges Question About Sending Migrant Children Back Home)
MacCallum began the discussion by playing a video clip of Biden announcing that he’d asked Harris to lead the effort in “stemming” migration to the border. She stated after the video that some were surprised Harris didn’t appear on any of the Sunday news shows to roll out the plan. She then asked Barrasso how he interpreted why she didn’t make an appearance.
“If she were a football player, she’s taken a red-shirt year. She’s not going to get into this in any way, and if she were, she’s the wrong person,” Barrasso responded. “She’s for amnesty for illegal immigrants. She’s somebody who has fought with the ICE agents and always taken the side of the illegal immigrants. She’s someone while running for president said illegal immigrants ought to receive free taxpayer paid for health insurance.”
He went on to say that if the problem at the border is going to be solved, they need to do what border agents told senators during their visit to the border Thursday, which he said was to reinstitute the “Remain in Mexico” policy. He added that the policy, which required those seeking asylum in the U.S. at the southern border to remain in Mexico while their cases were decided, worked under former President Donald Trump’s administration, but Biden still “eliminated it” when he got into office.
“Is there any indication that the vice president will do that? Because there are thousands more people likely headed this way. Unless the policy changes, it’s unlikely we’ll see any stem in this flow, right?” MacCallum asked.
“You’re absolutely right, and the next step in policy for the administration is to make all of these people citizens of the United States. That’s the bill that they’ve introduced into Congress. That’s the direction that they are heading,” Barrasso answered. “We know what works. We know it from the border patrol the wall works. They want us to finish the wall and reinstitute the Remain in Mexico policy that worked so well.”
He concluded by stating that Joe Biden sent a message to the rest of the world when he got into office that people should come to America, because “if you get in, you can stay.”
Biden announced on Mar. 24 that Harris would lead the administration’s efforts at the border. Some have criticized the decision, citing Harris’ past criticism of ICE, as well as her support, as Barrasso also mentioned, for amnesty. Since their shift away from Trump’s immigration policies, Biden’s administration has come under increasing pressure due to the surge in migrants attempting to cross the border. Biden seemingly suggested a return of Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy Mar. 22.