In another embarrassing immigration policy reversal to take things back to the way former President Trump handled them, President Biden ordered the construction of the border wall to resume or at least to fill in large gaps left in Arizona sectors that were left unfinished by his order to halt. And despite the order coming down on Thursday, the morning and evening flagship newscasts of ABC, CBS, and NBC blacked out border wall news.
Instead of reporting on Biden building back border wall, ABC’s World News Tonight spent 49 seconds griping about Justice Samuel Alito mocking foreign critics of his ruling overturning Roe v. Wade. On CBS Evening News, spent 19 seconds fretting about a Hersey candy shortage for Halloween. Meanwhile, NBC Nightly News spent over two minutes (2:18) stoking fear of sharks in the water.
In stark contrast, Fox News Channel’s Special Report dedicated over two and half minutes (2:34) to sections of the border wall getting completed at some point in the future.
“President Biden has authorized the completion of the border wall in an open area near Yuma, Arizona,” announced anchor Bret Baier as he led into the segment. “It’s another reversal of policy for the President who vowed not to add to his predecessor's efforts in any way on that project.”
Correspondent Steve Harrigan noted in his report that “despite campaign pledges to build no more border walls, the Biden administration agreed to do just that Thursday promising to fill in four gaps in Trump-built border walls near Yuma, Arizona.”
“The absurd gaps became both a symbol of failed border policy and one of the busiest illegal crossings in the country,” he added. “The reason cited for building the wall, safety concerns for Border Patrol and for the migrants who sometimes slipped or drowned while crossing.”
Harrigan also noted that the local hospital has been overwhelmed with illegal immigrants:
HARRIGAN: In Eagle Pass, if you fear you are dying of COVID and call an ambulance, that ambulance can no longer take you to the hospital. The hospital is full.
MANUEL MELLO (Eagle Pass, TX fire chief): Basically we are refusing to transport citizens because the hospital is overwhelmed sometimes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Overwhelmed how?
MELLO: With undocumented patients.
In a soundbite of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, she claimed “We are not finishing a wall. We are cleaning up the mess that the last administration made.”
And with a final note on the construction, Harrigan reported “No date set yet for construction to start.”
First, the Biden administration stuck with the remain in Mexico policy, then kept the COVID Title 42 protocols in place, and now they’re constructing parts of the border wall. Oof, no wonder the liberal broadcast networks don’t want to cover it.
The omission of Biden building the border wall was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Wayfair on ABC, Allstate on CBS, and Liberty Mutual on NBC. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
Fox News Channel’s Special Report
July 29, 2022
6:10:21 p.m. EasternBRET BAIER: President Biden has authorized the completion of the border wall in an open area near Yuma, Arizona. It’s another reversal of policy for the President who vowed not to add to his predecessor's efforts in any way on that project.
We have Fox team coverage of the immigration crisis. Gillian turner in Washington with reaction to the mayor's request in Washington, D.C. for National Guard troops to help deal with the influx of migrants bused here from Texas and Arizona.
But, first up, correspondent Steve Harrigan in Eagle Pass, Texas with the latest on the border wall. Good evening, Steve.
STEVE HARRIGAN: Good evening, Bret. If you stand here in eagle pass, you will see people cross the river behind me every single day in a quiet battle.
[Cuts to video]
The water flows south. The people flow north. By the dozen, the hundreds, or single families. Plastic bags and infants held above the current. Sometimes they panic halfway and cry for help. Sometimes they fall and get back up. Sometimes they don't get back up at all.
When the migrants reach U.S. shore illegally, their struggles don't end. And a host of new ones are created for the border towns overwhelmed by their numbers.
In Eagle Pass, if you fear you are dying of COVID and call an ambulance, that ambulance can no longer take you to the hospital. The hospital is full.
MANUEL MELLO (Eagle Pass, TX fire chief): Basically we are refusing to transport citizens because the hospital is overwhelmed sometimes.
UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: Overwhelmed how?
MELLO: With undocumented patients.
HARRIGAN: Now, despite campaign pledges to build no more border walls, the Biden administration agreed to do just that Thursday promising to fill in four gaps in Trump-built border walls near Yuma, Arizona.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE (White House press secretary): It's ineffective. We are not finishing a wall. We are cleaning up the mess that the last administration made.
HARRIGAN: The absurd gaps became both a symbol of failed border policy and one of the busiest illegal crossings in the country.
SEN. MARK KELLY (D-AZ): It’s very clear onto me in my first visit there that it was ridiculous that we had these gaps in the border wall. And that's why we are getting them closed up.
HARRIGAN: The reason cited for building the wall, safety concerns for Border Patrol and for the migrants who sometimes slipped or drowned while crossing.
[Cuts back to live]
No date set yet for construction to start. Bret.
BAIER: Steve Harrigan in Eagle Pass. Steve, thank you.
