Biden border policy sparks worry over impact on pandemic

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 5:21 PM PT – Friday, March 12, 2021

Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs is among several GOP lawmakers condemning the Biden administration’s immigration policy.

Drug trafficking is a serious problem, and we must not allow drug traffickers to be empowered by President Biden’s open-border policies that disregard the enforcement of our laws. pic.twitter.com/gENMILbt4f

— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) March 11, 2021

Republicans are increasingly slamming Biden’s return to “catch and release,” blaming it for a recent surge in illegal immigration, especially among unaccompanied minors.

And Joe Biden does nothing. https://t.co/lU4d8qiBjT

— Rep Andy Biggs (@RepAndyBiggsAZ) March 11, 2021

Customs and Border Protection recorded a 28 percent increase in illegal border crossings in February from the previous month, a figure that’s expected to worsen. However, the Biden administration is unwilling to call it a crisis.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki spoke with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Friday, March 12, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

“Our focus here is on getting to the root of issues, taking actions,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki stated. “We don’t feel the need to play games with what it’s called.”

As migrants are released into the U.S., border agents admitted CBP officers don’t test every individual they apprehend for COVID-19.

While humanitarian groups and local health officials are offering shelter, care and testing to sick asylum seekers, lawmakers fear the situation is more dire.

“The story we’re getting and we’re looking for confirmation is that hospitals are starting to fill up again in some of these COVID wards,” Biggs stated. “But they’re not American citizens or here legally, these are folks coming across the border.”

The congressman said he intends to make calls to verify if what he described is taking place in hospitals in Arizona’s 5th District or across the state.

OAN has so far been unable to obtain data to confirm the claims.

Meanwhile, the Arizona Department of Health Services’ latest figures show the number of hospitalizations related to COVID-19 are decreasing. As of Thursday, 831 people were in the hospital with the virus, with less than a third of patients in the ICU.

The actual number of infections is believed to be higher since asymptomatic individuals don’t typically get tested.

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