John Oliver Puts Biden on Blast Over Unfulfilled Immigration Reform Promises: ‘Pick Up a F*cking Pen and Do the Right Thing’

 

john oliver

John Oliver went after President Joe Biden’s unfulfilled immigration reform promises on Sunday, reminding his viewers that Biden “ran on a platform that included reversing Trump’s policies.”

“The U.S. used to be a world leader in how many refugees we accepted, but this fucking guy,” he said on Last Week Tonight, pointing to a photo of Donald Trump before revealing that the former president slashed admissions down t a historic low of 15,000 a year.

“He also added discriminatory eligibility categories that have blocked many Muslim and African refugees from coming to the U.S.,” Oliver added before noting that Biden promised to reverse Trump’s policies while he was running for president.

Despite the promise, Biden has still not signed the Presidential Determination on Refugee Admissions that would work to reverse the policies enacted by Trump, and his White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has failed to explain why.

Oliver aired footage of reporters pressing Psaki on the issue, questioning why Biden has not signed the document, without getting a clear answer in return.

“Props to Jen Psaki there, only a few months into the job and she’s already waiving away concerns about stranded refugees with the ease of a Spirit Airlines gate agent letting you know your flight’s delayed: ‘Rest assured, we’re committed to getting you to Orlando eventually. We just can’t tell you where your plane is, why it’s taking so long and what year you might arrive,'” he cracked.

Although there are nearly 115,000 refugees going through the resettlement process, while 35,000 have been approved for resettlement in the United States, as long as Biden continues to delay signing the determination, the refugees “are beholden to Trump’s low admission ceiling and bullshit racist rules,” said Oliver.

The host then explained that if refugees’ resettlement approvals expire, they have to start the process all over again — putting even more importance on the determination.

“Remember, these are vulnerable people who may have surrendered their belongings or homes in anticipation of leaving the country or who are having to wait in camps,” he said, adding that all Biden has to do is “sign a piece of paper.”

“And for a guy who clearly wanted to be the person who ‘restored the soul of America’— it is past time for him to look deep into his own, pick up a fucking pen and do the right thing.”

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!

Tags: