‘You’re Gonna Blame This ALL On Republican Critics?’ Chris Wallace Confronts Biden DHS Chief Over ‘Open Border’ Charge

CNN anchor Chris Wallace pushed back when Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas cited Republican rhetoric as a reason migrants say they believe the border is open under President Joe Biden.

On this week’s edition of HBO Max and CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace, the host confronted Mayorkas with video from a congressional hearing at which a border official testified that migrants believe the border is “open” under the new administration.

Mayorkas pointed out the relentless rhetoric to that effect from Republicans, but Wallace objected and cited several other factors he believes could be relevant:

Chris Wallace: Critics say, that when he took off this, President Biden, setting the policy, you enforcing the policy, sent a clear message to prospective migrants. He ended enrollments in the program that asylum seekers had to remain in Mexico. He wanted to stop using title 42 public health protections to expel migrants and he halted construction of the border wall. Here is the chief patrol agent, your employee, for the Tucson sector. Take a look.

[[CLIP]]

Chris Wallace: Migrants believe there’s an open border.

MAYORKAS: Chris, have you heard some of our political leaders speak about the border and communicate that the border is open? I don’t think the more than 1.5 million people who have been removed or expelled from the border would consider the border open. But political leaders communicate that the border is open. That is music to the smugglers ears and the smugglers themselves.

Chris Wallace: So wait, you’re gonna blame this all on Republican critics? I mean, you’re not going to say that the administration and the policies on remain in Mexico where title 42, or stopping construction of the wall that – that had no impact?

MAYORKAS: Chris, that’s not what I said. I’m just, I’m just citing for you a few things and please, allow me. Number one, they use that rhetoric. Number two, we’re dealing with smuggling organizations that are far more sophisticated than they were when I prosecuted them for 12 years as an assistant United States attorney and as the United States Attorney. They spread disinformation, they spread misinformation and the like.

Watch above via HBO Max and CNN’s Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace.