In an extraordinary display of political denial, Representative Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) stunned CNN anchor Jake Tapper by repeatedly insisting that the southern border is “secure”. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, Pressley stood her ground, leaving Tapper and viewers in disbelief.
“No doubt about it, our border is secure,” Pressley boldly stated during a CNN interview. This audacious claim comes at a time when the border crisis continues to escalate, with record numbers of migrants attempting to cross into the U.S. The situation has been described as a humanitarian crisis by many, including Pressley herself.
Tapper, visibly taken aback, pressed Pressley for clarity on her statement. “You think the border is secure?” he asked. Pressley responded by shifting the focus to the humanitarian crisis, sidestepping the question of border security. Tapper continued to probe, asking, “But if you have millions of undocumented migrants coming into the country, how is the border secure?”
Pressley’s response was a masterclass in deflection. She pointed to “climate refugees” and people fleeing violence and corruption as contributing factors to the migrant influx. Yet, she failed to address the fundamental issue at hand: if millions are crossing the border illegally, how can it be considered secure?
Tapper didn’t let up. He challenged Pressley’s refusal to acknowledge the reality of the situation. “It just seems like such a refusal to acknowledge reality, to say that the border is secure when we all know millions of people are crossing the border illegally every year,” he said.
The migrant crisis at the border has escalated in recent weeks. In August, there were nearly 233,000 migrant encounters at the southern border, the highest August on record, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP). These numbers mark a significant increase from the previous year, demonstrating the growing severity of the situation.
Meanwhile, major cities like New York and Chicago are grappling with their own migrant crises. New York City has been inundated with over 113,000 migrants since last spring, costing the city more than $1.2 billion. Chicago has also seen a surge of about 13,500 migrants, with at least $250 million being spent on the issue.
In the face of these staggering numbers, Pressley’s claim that the border is secure seems at best misguided, and at worst, an outright denial of reality. It’s a stunning example of political doublespeak that leaves one wondering: if this is what our leaders consider “secure”, what would they consider a crisis?
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