NBC News’ Kristen Welker Presses Psaki on Newsweek Report of Ukrainians Detained at Border: Is That Welcoming ‘With Open Arms?’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed back when NBC News’ Kristen Welker grilled her about a Newsweek report that Ukrainian refugees are being held in detention centers at the southern border.

Earlier this week, Newsweek reported that Ukrainians seeking asylum at the U.S./Mexico border are being detained under Title 42. Jennifer Scarborough, an immigration attorney assisting refugees, was quoted as saying “Biden said they’d be welcomed with open arms. That’s not happening.”

Ms. Psaki held a briefing with reporters on Friday, during which Welker asked about that report. Psaki pushed back by explaining the Title 42 process, and the CDC’s role in it:

Q I want to follow up with you on something we’ve been discussing throughout the week: the issue of refugees. Newsweek has reported that the U.S. is actually detaining Ukrainian refugees in the ICE detention centers — those who are seeking entry into the country — which seems like a contradiction of President Biden saying that he would welcome them here. Can you tell us why this is happening and what’s being done?

MS. PSAKI: I can’t confirm any specific cases. I’d point you to the Department of Homeland Security.

But what I would say is that we are still implementing our immigration laws at the border. That means that Title 42 is in place. And for individuals who come through, you know, abnormal migration, we approach that through the same laws and implementation. When the President says he would welcome refugees, of course he would, but they have to apply through the refugee programs.

Q Understood. But do you acknowledge, Jen, that detaining them is a contradiction to President Biden saying he would welcome them with open arms?

MS. PSAKI: Well, again, Kristen, we implement and we — our immigration laws across the board, no matter what country you come from. And that has been our case and approach from the beginning.

Welcoming refugees means applying through the refugee process. And again, as I’ve said in here, we’re looking at a range of options, including providing a broad range of humanitarian assistance to the countries where the vast majority of refugees are going.

Q Is it a priority for President Biden to address this situation so that refugees are not being detained at ICE detention centers?

MS. PSAKI: Well, again, we are continuing to apply our immigration laws at the border. And so, refugees who want to come to the United States — of course we would welcome Ukrainian refugees. That is why — but they have to apply through the existing programs.

There’s an ongoing discussion about what programs or what steps we could take. And we certainly — that’s an important conversation and process internally.

Where we have put all of our efforts to date — the vast majority of them to date has been on providing a historic amount of funding to countries in the region, including a huge amount — billions of dollars — that has been approved through the omnibus bill the President just signed into law to make sure that the countries that are welcoming the vast majority of these refugees have assistance and support and aid that they need.

Watch above via The White House.