Fox News’ Martha MacCallum got into a testy exchange with political analyst Juan Williams Thursday as he defended President Joe Biden’s border policies.
MacCallum challenged Williams on Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas claiming the administration is doing a sufficient job on securing the border as migrant apprehensions continue to hit record-highs.
“How can he possibly look anybody square in the eye and say ‘we’re doing a great job?'” MacCallum asked Williams. “I mean, does anybody actually take blame for anything that happens on their watch anymore?”
“Oh, I think people need to take blame, Martha … I think he should take some responsibility, but he’s dealing with a broken immigration system,” Williams said.
“Oh my gosh, Juan,” MacCallum said. “I hear you, and forgive me for jumping right in, but there’s a lot that the president could be doing right now. He could be ending catch-and-release, he could fix the border wall, there’s things at the president’s disposal, regardless, he can blame Republicans all day long, there’s a lot that he could be doing right now with Mayorkas, so why isn’t he doing it, Juan? That’s my direct question, why isn’t the president doing the things that he could be doing?”
Williams blamed House Republicans for not trying to find “real solutions” to the border crisis and instead pusruing “photo op theater.” He credited the Biden administration for putting forth a supplemental funding request of $14 billion to hire more border agents and immigration judges. (RELATED: GOP Rep Says Mayorkas Is ‘Greatest Domestic Threat’ To The Country Ahead Of Impeachment Proceedings)
“They’re involved in that photo op theater down at the border instead of saying ‘here’s not only is here a real effort at immigration reform —”
“Yeah okay, I understand, but you’re not answering my question,” MacCallum immediately chimed in.
“But what about the request from the Biden administration for more money for border agents, for asylum officers,” Williams continued. “The Trump administration got additional supplemental funding for the border during their time, $14 billion. But now [House Speaker Mike] Johnson and the Republicans continue to keep this issue as political theater in order to try and embarrass the White House.”
“Right, but the president could overstep that. He could do several things, which I just mentioned, would not entail Congress at all. But he doesn’t do them,” MacCallum said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson and over 60 other Republicans traveled to the U.S.-Mexico border this week to address the crisis. The speaker scoffed at the Biden proposal, claiming border patrol agents do not want the $14 billion in supplemental funds.
“It’s been an eye opener,” Johnson said during a news conference. “One thing is absolutely clear: America is at a breaking point with record levels of illegal immigration and today we got a firsthand look at the damage and the chaos the border catastrophe is causing in all of our communities. The situation here and across the country is truly unconscionable.”
The White House claimed Republicans visiting the border are making the crisis worse.