In a Tuesday morning report designed to tug at viewers’ heartstrings, NBC’s Today openly complained that people fleeing from communist countries had an easier path to getting asylum claims granted. They declared that the system was “arbitrary” when it came to which countries were greenlit for the easier path but, despite omitting the C-word, it was blatantly obvious what each country they listed off had in common.
Amid his report, correspondent Sam Brock noted: “It’s clear most of the people we speak with are from Venezuela or a handful of other countries. That's partly because of how Title 42 is being applied, allowing asylum seekers from some countries but not from others.”
Speaking to Dr. Josiah Heyman, the University of Texas at El Paso’s Center for Inter-American and Border Studies director, Brock suggested it was “arbitrary which countries are getting a green light and which aren’t.”
Dr. Heyman agreed: “Absolutely. It absolutely is. Currently greenlighted Nicaragua and Cuba…” He would go on to note that Venezuela was possibly on a short list of future green-light candidates.
But while Brock and the so-called expert were claiming Cuba and Nicaragua were chosen arbitrarily, any honest observer could tell you a communist government was what they share. And America’s longstanding policy of accepting defectors from communist countries was not a secret. That’s not to mention Venezuela has been inching ever closer to joining their ranks as socialism ravaged the country’s economy.
Brock went on to lament that “about a quarter to a third of all people coming to the border right now are currently being blocked by Title 42. And that's with border crossings at their highest level this fiscal year, 2.76 million in modern history.” Of course, he omitted that those were illegal border crossings.
Elsewhere in his report, Brock tried to emotionally manipulate his audience by showing the “battle scars” one migrant allegedly received from the drug cartels. But he seemed to inadvertently expose that it was President Biden’s open-borders policy that enticed them to come:
Cesar shows me the slashes on his wrist he says came from Mexican cartels trying to extort him for money as he waited to cross the border. We asked him why he and his group have been waiting for months. “We've been waiting for October because we believed in the President of the United States,” he tells me. “That an opportunity to come to America legally on December 21st would happen.”
He also bemoaned how the prolonging of Title 42 by the U.S. Supreme Court was causing “distress all over the streets of El Paso and the thousands camping out.” And concluded by admitting “there will absolutely be a surge for the first month or two” after Title 42 is lifted.
NBC’s false depiction of the asylum process was made possible because of lucrative sponsorships from Chevy and Liberty Mutual. Their contact information is linked.
The transcript is below, click "expand" to read:
NBC’s Today
December 27, 2022
7:11:35 a.m. EasternPETER ALEXANDER: In Washington this morning, a potentially massive decision from the nation's highest court on what will happen with Title 42. That's the Trump-era policy that allows most asylum seekers to be turned away at the border due to concerns about COVID after facing challenges in the courts for months. The policy was set to expire last week before the Supreme Court stepped in. Now, the debate over its future is reigniting tough questions and concerns about what happens if it is lifted.
NBC's Sam Brock is in El Paso, Texas, with the very latest this morning. Sam, good morning.
SAM BROCK: Peter, good morning. Still so much uncertainty here. The expectation is that the Supreme Court will either take up this case and debate the merits of Title 42 or pass and pave the way for it not to be applied any longer in the manner that it has.
I'm in El Paso right now, Peter, it is 36 degrees. Over my shoulder you see all these folks here wrapped up, sleeping on the ground in blankets. Just to their right is a bus. That's there to provide warmth for those who need it. And talking to so many people here, they have been waiting for an answer for months.
[Cuts to video]
On what could be decision day for Title 42, there are signs of distress all over the streets of El Paso and the thousands camping out. It's clear not just from their faces or blankets or signs, but in some cases, battle scars.
Cesar shows me the slashes on his wrist he says came from Mexican cartels trying to extort him for money as he waited to cross the border. We asked him why he and his group have been waiting for months. “We've been waiting for October because we believed in the President of the United States,” he tells me. “That an opportunity to come to America legally on December 21st would happen.”
But on that date, the expiration of Title 42 received a stay from the Supreme Court. The question now is for how long. The court says a decision could come today on whether it remains in place. The outcome is consequential as migrants show me cracked cell phone screens detailing their haunting journeys, or scabs from frozen nights and burns suffered on train cars.
Its clear most of the people we speak with are from Venezuela or a handful of other countries. That's partly because of how Title 42 is being applied, allowing asylum seekers from some countries but not from others.
It feels arbitrary which countries are getting a green light and which aren’t.
JOSIAH HEYMAN (University of Texas at El Paso, Center for Inter-American and Border Studies director): Absolutely. It absolutely is. Currently greenlighted Nicaragua and Cuba, potentially forthcoming Venezuela, and the so-called northern triangle of Central America. [Transition] They're in the same boat as the Venezuelans.
BROCK: Dr. Josiah Heyman with UTEP estimates that about a quarter to a third of all people coming to the border right now are currently being blocked by Title 42. And that's with border crossings at their highest level this fiscal year, 2.76 million in modern history.
[Cuts back to live]
And so, the question now, what will happen if Title 42 is lifted? Dr. Heyman says, of course, with all of those folks waiting right now on the Mexican side of the border, there is no doubt there will absolutely be a surge for the first month or two. What happens after that guys, is an open question.
Peter, back to you.
ALEXANDER: A legal and political cliffhanger with lives in the balance. Sam Brock, thank you so much.
