Two senior White House officials — White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC spokesman John Kirby — pushed back on New York Times White House correspondent Michael Shear’s claim that activists are more critical of President Joe Biden’s new border measures than they ever were of former President Donald Trump.

President Biden announced new border enforcement actions and solidified plans for a border visit this week, which will take place this Sunday in El Paso, Texas.

At Friday’s White House briefing, Kirby and Jean-Pierre fielded questions from reporters on the new policies and the border visit, including a lengthy one from Shear in which he claimed criticism of Biden from advocates and activists exceeds anything he saw “during the Trump years”:

MICHAEL SHEAR: So, John, just following up on the — on the border. I — I spent a long time covering immigration stuff during the Trump years. I — I never saw more damning quotes from immigration advocacy groups and human rights groups
during the Trump years than — as I saw yesterday towards this administration.

Just reading one to you, Eleanor Acer, who is one of the leading advocacy people — heads up a refugee group, called what the President did yesterday “a humanitarian disgrace.” And that was echoed across the board in literally scores of emails I got from every humanitarian group.

What do you all — what does the administration say to the overwhelming consensus from people who advocate on behalf of asylum seekers and refugees and migrants that what the President did yesterday was “a humanitarian disgrace”?

MR. KIRBY: Well, obviously, we take a different view. What we would say is that the — this is a President who understands that safe and legal immigration into this country is a key cornerstone of our own security and prosperity, and that he is advancing ways to improve those legal pathways to entry.

I mean, he increased or — dramatically increased the number of refugees that we’re willing to take in from nations in the hemisphere. He also improved the process by which people seeking asylum can do that in, again, a legal, safe way. And we’re also, obviously, have to make sure that — that it’s legal migration we’re focused on and that the illegal migration is curbed as best as we can through more — more stringent enforcement mechanisms.

So it’s a balance, and the President is trying to strike that balance. But he is — and I think you saw it in the — in all the initiatives that were announced yesterday.

I mean, there’s a — you know, striking that balance, you can’t forget that you — we do, as a nation of immigrants, have an obligation to provide better tools and pathways for them to come in.

I will say this: On his first day in office, he put before Congress an immigration reform bill that he — that has yet to be acted on. We are dealing with immigration laws and processes that are decades old, Michael. Decades old.

So the answer to the critics is: First of all, we obviously take a different view, in terms of the President’s priorities. And if you take a look at the package, you’ll see that it is very humane in its — in its structure. But we’ve got to have the help from members of Congress. And this is not something that he hasn’t focused on. In fact, he has been focused on it since the very first day.

MICHAEL SHEAR: Do you understand their points?

Later in the briefing, Jean-Pierre made a point of calling Shear out, then had an extensive back-and-forth with him during which she told Shear “I do take issue with comparing us to Donald Trump”:

I do want to address something that was asked abo- — that you, Michael, had asked about the lack of support that we have received. Look, I have — you know, we’ve heard from mayors across the country as well who have supported, you know, the President’s announcement yesterday.

And so, for example, Mayor — Mayor Todd Gloria, San Diego, California: The President’s measures “will help expedite legal pathways for orderly migration and increase funding to nonprofits doing lifesaving work in our communities.” That matters.

Mayor — Mayor Ron — Mayor of San Antonio, Texas: “In lieu…” — and this is Texas — “In lieu of much-needed congressional policy” — as I’ve stated, which is so important; and he tweeted this — the President “new action humanely addresses the influx of asylum seekers entering the U.S.”

Eric Adams — Mayor Adams had — who has been critical — right? — of us — said: It’s “an important, positive step.”

And so — and I have a few more. Den- — the Denver mayor; the Washington, D.C., Muriel Bowser; and also Mayor Lightfoot — they all have said — have said they support the President’s actions. And I think that’s important to note as well.

Look — look, we know there’s more work to do. We absolutely know that. And what the President is doing is he’s using the tools in front of him right now to address a really critical and important issue.

MICHAEL SHEAR: I guess, if I could just — sorry, but —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure.

MICHAEL SHEAR: Since you (inaudible).

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. I know, since I called you out, Michael. (Laughter.)

MICHAEL SHEAR: I mean, the advocacy folks in the community of people who are lawyers and advocates and humanitarian experts, what they would say is the President is using the tools, and he’s using them in a harsh and unbalanced way. I mean, I think John referenced the — you know, trying to balance these — these issues. And yes, that — that’s true.

But they would argue that the impact, in terms of, you know, sort of the long-term functioning of the asylum process in the country is extraordinarily negative. And they — you know, lawsuits are going to be filed in the same way that lawsuits, you know, were filed against the Trump administration over and over and over again about their immigration policies. But, you know —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

MICHAEL SHEAR: — this time, it’ll be against you guys. And I guess I just — I guess I just — that puts this President, who spent so much time on the campaign trail talking about how — you know, how he wanted to be different than Donald Trump when it came to immigration issues — I mean, it just puts you guys in a really awkward —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So —

MICHAEL SHEAR: — awkward place. Doesn’t it?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I have to say, Michael, I take — look, I understand what you’re saying. But I do take — you know, I do take issue with comparing us to Donald Trump, who —

MICHAEL SHEAR: It’s not me. I’m just — I’m —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no — no, I know you are the messenger, and you are giving me the information. I am responding to what you just said, which is: You’re talking about an administration who had a policy — right? — that tore babies away from their moms, from their parents, from their families. That was the President’s — President — the last administration — that President’s philosophy or policies. And that’s what they did. And this is not this President.

And just want to list out a couple of things what this administration has done. It’s increased work visas, including H-2A and H-2B visas, for Central America and Haiti. It restarted the Central American Minors Program. It expanded parolee programs for Venezuelan, Nicaragua, Cuba, and Haiti, as we’ve been talking about these past few minutes. It expanded refugee admissions in the Western Hemisphere. Significantly expanded TPS for Venezuela, Haiti, Nicaragua, and many more. And created renewed unification parolee programs for families from Haiti and Cuba.

These are the things that the President is trying to do to make sure we are doing this in a humane way.

Now, is there work to do? Is this just one step? Yes. And we are going to continue to work with Congress to make sure that we are truly fixing this problem.

I’m going to continue to go around.

Watch above via The White House.

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