On Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre angrily dismissed Fox News reporter Peter Doocy when he asked about her false claim about a drop in illegal immigration earlier this week.
Jean-Pierre had claimed on Monday that “the actions that [President Biden] has taken” have led to a 90% decrease in illegal immigration. However, illegal immigration set new records during Biden’s first and second years in office, crossing 2 million for the first time ever in 2022. 2023 is currently on track to cross 3 million.
“You said yesterday that when it comes to illegal migration, you’ve seen it come down by more than 90%,” Doocy said to Jean-Pierre, up on her prior remarks. “Where did that number come from?”
Jean-Pierre interrupted Doocy as he was trying to finish his question. Doocy said that federal immigration officials have said there have been “136,000 people more this fiscal year so far.”
“I’m about to answer you if the dramatics could come down just a little bit,” she said. “If the dramatics could come down a little bit.”
“What’s dramatic about asking a question about …” Doocy asked before Jean-Pierre again cut him off.
“Okay, I’m going to answer, so I was speaking to the parolee program, as you know, the president put in place a parolee program to deal with, to deal with certain countries on ways that we can limit illegal migration and we have seen the data has shown us that is gone down by more than 90%,” Jean-Pierre claimed. “That was what I was speaking to.”
When Doocy attempted to get clarification from Jean-Pierre, she cut him off again and began to talk over him. “No! I’m, we’re gonna go, we’re gonna move.”
“Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead,” she shouted as she called on another reporter.
DOOCY: "You said yesterday that when it comes to illegal migration, you've seen it come down by more than 90%. Where did that number come from?"
JEAN-PIERRE: "If the dramatics could come down a little bit…"
DOOCY: "What's dramatic about asking a question?"
JEAN-PIERRE: "I… pic.twitter.com/siVXsh8CMj
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) May 2, 2023