Fox News host Chris Wallace grilled White House press secretary Jen Psaki Sunday over the Biden administration's handling of the border crisis, confronting her over allegations that officials are blocking media from disseminating critical information related to migrants and the conditions of migrant detention facilities.
Journalists have accused the Biden administration of blocking media access to document the border crisis. Award-winning photojournalist John Moore said he was even forced to photograph the crisis from the Mexico side of the U.S.-Mexico border.
"I have photographed CBP under Bush, Obama and Trump but now — zero access is granted to media," Moore said earlier this month. " Until now, US photojournalists haven't needed to stand in another country to photograph what's happening — in the United States."
In fact, NBC News reported the Biden administration enacted an unofficial "gag order" on Customs and Border Protection agents, limiting what information they share with journalists and restricting media access to migrant facilities. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has denied that such an order exists.
While being interviewed on "Fox News Sunday," Wallace confronted Psaki, and pointed out the Biden administration is being "less transparent than the Trump administration."
Wallace began by acknowledging the fact that Americas only know about the conditions of migrant detention centers because members of Congress, who have toured some facilities, released pictures of the detention centers.
"These kids are living in these conditions now. They're not living in these conditions some indeterminate time from now when the president says everything will be fixed," Wallace said. "So why not allow reporters and camera crews in on a pool basis safely to take pictures and show the American people what's happening in those Border Patrol facilities right now?"
Psaki responded by claiming that Biden, Mayorkas, and the entire administration is "absolutely committed" to providing media access.
"When?" Wallace shot back.
Psaki claimed the administration provided Fox News with access to a facility just last week, adding the Biden administration is not blocking media from the facilities, but rather is limiting access because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, Wallace pointed out that Fox News was not granted access to a Border Patrol migrant detention facility, but a different facility operated by the Department of Health and Human Services.
"Just to clarify, Jen, you allowed a camera crew in to see the HHS facilities. What we're talking about here are the Border Patrol facilities, the detention cells," Wallace pointed out as Psaki attempted to interrupt. "There is a law — let me just finish — that they are not allowed to be there for more than 72 hours, many of them are there for 10 days."
"At this point, in terms of allowing access to Border Patrol facilities for reporters, you are being less transparent than the Trump administration," Wallace added.
When Biden was confronted over the media access issue last week, asked by a reporter specifically when journalists would be granted additional access to document migrant conditions, Biden responded, "I don't know."
Psaki says migrant children are fleeing economic circumstances and 'hurricanes' youtu.be
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is pressuring President Joe Biden to be more transparent with the media about the migrant crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The White House faces criticism from reporters for restricting media access to Customs and Border Protection facilities that are housing thousands of unaccompanied migrant children. Last week, when Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas led a bipartisan delegation of lawmakers to tour the U.S. border, reporters were barred from covering their tour due to "privacy and COVID-19 restrictions."
More than 15,000 migrant children have been detained by the federal government, but the "crowded, makeshift conditions" these children were kept in were not reported until Monday when Axios obtained exclusive photos of kids being kept in cage-like "pods."
In a letter to the president, Sen. Cruz said it was "outrageous and hypocritical" of Biden to bar reporters from access to the situation at the border.
"As part of our oversight duties as Senators, I and 14 of my colleagues will travel to the border this week to talk to the brave men and women on the ground who are working every today [sic] to stop this crisis and secure our border," Cruz wrote.
"But it is not enough for members of the Senate to see what is happening — the American people must see. That is why I requested that members of the media be allowed to join us. But your administration clearly and emphatically refused to offer press access. This is outrageous and hypocritical."
Cruz chastised the president's administration for pledging "truth and transparency" and now breaking that promise.
Cruz wrote:
At the beginning of your administration, Press Secretary Jen Psaki stressed the importance of "truth and transparency" and a "deep respect for the role of a free and independent press." At the beginning of the month, Secretary Mayorkas stated that he would adhere to principles of "openness and transparency." But now, when your administration faces a crisis of your own making, you are refusing to allow the very transparency you promised and that you demanded from prior administrations.
Denying the press the ability to observe, film, and report on the conditions at the border is not openness or transparency-it is hiding the truth from the American people. The press and the American people deserve more than denials and excuses from a podium. They deserve to see and understand the crisis for themselves with the help of reporters who are free and independent from your administration.
On Friday, Sens. Cruz and John Cornyn (R-Texas) will lead a delegation of 14 lawmakers to tour the Rio Grande Valley. Cruz said it's "unacceptable" that the Biden administration will not permit reporters to join them.
"I call on you to reverse this decision immediately and commit to allowing free and fair reporting on the crisis at the border," Cruz said.
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