Actually, that’s exactly how it works. Thousands of people every week walk freely across the southern border between the United States and Mexico and are never seen or heard from again.
You have to see this exchange to believe the hubris and/or ignorance of the statement to see the White House disagree that people walking across the border every week simply isn’t happening.
The entire back-and-forth between Fox News reporter Peter Doocy and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre started with questions about the double standard that exists between people entering the country by air versus by land.
The background is that Novak Djokovic, one of the best tennis players in the world, remains barred from participating in the U.S. Open because he has chosen to not receive a Covid-19 vaccination. Djokovic is unable to enter the country due to vaccine requirements for all incoming foreign travelers entering the country legally.
Doocy’s point is that it’s wrong to try and say the situations are different and blame the CDC so the White House basically has no comment. The problem here is that it’s the Biden administration’s job to secure the border, a task at which it has been failing since inauguration day in 2021.
Here’s the clip:
Doocy: "Somebody unvaccinated comes over on a plane, you say that's not okay. Somebody walks into Texas or Arizona unvaccinated, they're allowed to stay?"
Jean-Pierre: "That's not how it works… It's not like someone walks over."
Doocy: "That's exactly what is happening!" pic.twitter.com/mr8XE1n1oY
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) August 29, 2022
Does KJP actually believe that illegal migrants do not physically walk across the border potentially carrying Covid-19 or any other communicable disease?
From the very beginning, it’s been about holding American citizens and travelers entering via legal means to completely different standards than illegal aliens hopping a fence or crossing a river.
In this case, Djokovic cannot enter the country as a foreign visitor to play in the U.S. Open yet thousands upon thousands of illegal migrants can cross the border unabated week after week.
Sadly, I will not be able to travel to NY this time for US Open. Thank you #NoleFam for your messages of love and support. ?? Good luck to my fellow players! I’ll keep in good shape and positive spirit and wait for an opportunity to compete again. ?? See you soon tennis world! ??
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) August 25, 2022
Once again it’s the Biden administration creating two tiers of expectations and standards, one for the law-abiding and one for the fence-jumping.
The ongoing Covid-19 vaccine requirement on foreign travelers is past time to go by the wayside. If a traveler can provide proof of a negative test, shouldn’t be acceptable to visit the United States?
Take other forms of travel, for example, where vaccine mandates are dropping like flies. The cruise industry recently went through an overhaul during the past 60 days with all major cruise companies scrapping Covid-19 vaccine requirements. The unvaccinated will need to provide a negative test but are welcome to sail.
The White House has a problem with standards and continues to ignore the growing problem at the southern border.
If KJP and others in the White House staff are truly that ignorant of how many illegal border crossings happen on a daily basis, with individuals literally walking across, then the Biden administration is further out of touch than previously thought.
