This week, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) strongly criticized White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for making false assertions about the security of the U.S. southern border. Senator Sinema emphasized that the comments made by Jean-Pierre were “just factually not true.”
On Monday, Jean-Pierre made a claim asserting that the measures implemented by President Biden had resulted in a 90% reduction in illegal immigration.
Sinema responded to those remarks during her appearance on Fox News’ “Special Report” with anchor Bret Baier, offering a rebuttal to Jean-Pierre’s statements.
Sinema said, “Obviously, the border is not secure. Anyone with eyes can see that. And anyone who lives in a border state like I do, born and raised in Arizona, actually takes offense at comments like that because they’re just factually not true. The reality is that border communities in my state are suffering already, and that’s before the end of Title 42.”
She continued, “Just last week, I held a hearing in our border subcommittee and brought a Republican mayor and a Democratic mayor, both representing small border towns from Arizona. And we just asked them, what is it like every day in your town? And Bret, there are high-speed chases going on through the city of Sierra Vista right now with young teens driving cars and sometimes being killed or causing the death of others transporting drugs and other migrants through these communities.”
“It is not secure,” she said. “It is not safe.”
Sinema, who was previously elected to the Senate as a Democrat but has since distanced herself from the party, recommended that the Biden administration tackle the border crisis by enforcing the laws that are on the books.
This crisis is not new; it’s one that has worsened year after year, due to the federal government’s failures to address our broken border and immigration system. If inaction continues, the price for these failures falls on local communities and risks the wellbeing of migrants.
— Kyrsten Sinema (@SenatorSinema) April 27, 2023
During her statement, Sinema highlighted the existence of several bipartisan proposals that have been developed in collaboration with fellow senators and representatives. She emphasized that implementing these plans could genuinely have a positive impact.
Sinema further expressed that it would be beneficial if the administration began by actively enforcing the existing laws, as this would instill confidence, particularly among Republican members of the House and Senate, and increase the likelihood of accomplishing meaningful progress.
