It was another bad day at the press briefing for White House Press Secretary Karine Jean Pierre, who was pressed over the administration’s response to the tidal wave of humanity at the border, namely the negligent manner in which some migrants are being held.
Pushing for an answer about that situation, one reporter asked, “NPR has obtained a trove of inspection reports regarding these ICE detention facilities –privately — privately controlled ICE detention facilities. And some of these documents show that there were egregious behaviors going on, negligent care. I knew during the 2020 presidential campaign, Biden committed to ending these for-profit ICE detention facilities. That has not happened so far. Can you explain why the administration still is relying on them?”
KJP did her usual thing and tried to dodge at first, saying that she hasn’t seen the report at issue. In her words: “So, I have not seen the report. That’s something that I would want to talk to our team about before responding to your particular report.”
Then, despite having claimed she hadn’t seen the report on the situation at the border, said, “You know, I think the President is still committed to that — to what he — what he laid out during his campaign. Just don’t have anything here to share beyond that, beyond his commitment that he is certainly going to foc- — going to continue to stay focused on — but I just don’t have anything specific on where we are with that particular —particular ICE detention closure.”
The reporter wasn’t done. Continuing to press KJP over Biden’s failure to live up to his campaign promises, she said, “I’m sorry — one quick follow-up there. My understanding is that the ACLU has said that under President Biden, a larger percentage of ICE detainees are in these privately run facilities when compared to the Trump administration. And I just want to understand how that is possible, kind of, with the commitment that you all have had — expressed to moving away from detention facilities.”
KJP had trouble answering that one too. Beginning she attempted to dodge responsibility, saying, “Well, look, let me first say that, you know, we’ve been very clear. We want — this is a broken system that we have done everything that we can to make sure we move forward in a humane way. Right? That is something that we have been committed to and that is a path that we certainly have gone down.”
She then reminded the reporter that she (KJP) was ignorant about the report being discussed, saying, “As it relates to the ICE detention, the private detention, again, I would have to go back to the team and see where we are with that. I have not seen the — this investigative reporting that you all have done.”
Then, ending, she pulled a Jenn Psaki and made a circle-back promise, saying, “But I want to make sure I answer it in a fulsome way. So, I need to just make sure I check in with the team, and we’ll get back to you on that. All the — all the questions that you have I’m sure the team will get — we’ll get back to you on that.”
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video
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