White House unable/unwilling to explain why illegal aliens may remain unvaccinated
The White House Monday was unable to explain why illegal immigrants are allowed to remain unvaccinated, even insisting there are no illegal immigrants crossing the border.
During Monday’s press briefing, Fox News White House Correspondent Peter Doocy asked Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre why world tennis champion Novak Djokovic, who has refused the COVID-19 injections, is barred from entering the United States to play in the U.S. Open while illegal aliens are not subject to the same requirement.
“How come migrants are allowed to come into this country unvaccinated but world-class tennis players are not?” asked Doocy at the 1:18:15 mark, clarifying that he was referring to Novak Djokovic.
Jean-Pierre chuckled nervously before saying that the U.S. government does not comment on individual visa details.
“So just since you asked about me – about him – you asked me about him – so visa records are confidential under U.S. law, therefore the U.S. government cannot discuss the details of individual visa cases. Due to privacy reasons, the U.S. government also does not comment on medical information of individual travelers as it relates to the tennis player.”
The press secretary then tried to blame the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which requires COVID-19 injections for air travel “if you are a non-U.S. citizen, non-U.S. immigrant (not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa).”
“Look, those questions regarding vaccination requirements is – I defer you to CDC,” continued Jean-Pierre. “This is a CDC requirement for foreign nationals. This is something that they decide. This is – so this is something that is up to them.”
But when it comes to entering the United States by land, which is how most illegal aliens cross the southern border, the CDC defers to the Department of Homeland Security, which requires proof of vaccination for all “Non-U.S. travelers seeking to enter the United States via land ports of entry and ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders.”
Then Jean-Pierre tried to pan it off on the U.S. Open, even though the United States Tennis Association (USTA) stated in June that it has no vaccine mandate but is subject to U.S. government regulations regarding non-U.S. citizens.
“The U.S. Open and their participant protocols, I refer you to them. They have their own protocols as well. They’re two different things. They’re two different things.”
“How is it two different things?” challenged 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?”
Then the press secretary denied that illegal immigrants are walking across the border, despite contradicting reports and video footage.
“That’s not how it works… It’s not like someone walks over,” responded Jean-Pierre, laughing.
“That’s exactly what’s happening,” Doocey interjected. “Thousands of people are walking in a day. Some of them turn themselves over. Some of them are caught. Tens of thousands a week are not. That is what is happening.”
In response, Jean-Pierre launched into a lengthy sermon about the Biden administration’s illegal immigration strategy and attempts to catch more human traffickers while blaming President Donald Trump. She concluded with again blaming the CDC and U.S. Open for the ban on Novak Djokovic.
“As it relates to the tennis star, that is a totally different process, that is the U.S. Open that he is a part of, and there are [sic] CDC federal guidance that he needs to follow,” she said.
“But why is there a CDC requirement for people that fly here as opposed to people that cross the southern border?” pressed Doocey.
“We have talked about Title 42. Title 42 is a CDC imperative,” Jean-Pierre said, referring to a Trump-era policy allowing the expulsion of illegal immigrants who posed a health threat during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration attempted to remove Title 42, but was stopped by a federal judge.
“But you guys got rid of it because you said the pandemic is not a big deal anymore,” Doocy noted.
“That is not how it works, Title 42 is very much in place,” Jean-Pierre answered. “And that is the process. So there is a CDC provision for folks coming through the southern border. It is not just for tennis players. Migrants have also a CDC guidance that we have to follow which is Title 42. So that is not the case, that is factually wrong.”
