The White House is defending its decision not to require migrants seeking access to the U.S. to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or a negative test even though other foreign travelers — including U.S. citizens who go overseas — are still subject to international travel restrictions.
When asked why only fully vaccinated international travelers are allowed to come to the U.S. while unvaccinated immigrants continue to flood into the country, White House press secretary Jen Psaki claimed the two groups don’t compare.
“As individuals come across the border, they are both assessed for whether they have any symptoms. If they have symptoms, the intention is for them to be quarantined. That is our process,” she said.
Pressed again on whether this policy is inconsistent with the administration’s other travel restrictions, Psaki claimed it is not because immigrants are “not intending to stay here for a lengthy period of time.”
“It’s not the same thing,” she added.
Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., slammed Psaki, calling her comment “bullcrap.”
Psaki just said they are only quarantining illegal immigrants with symptoms and not testing all of them or mandating vaccines for all because they “aren’t planning to stay here for a long time”.
Bullcrap.
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) September 20, 2021
Other conservatives agreed:
Jen Psaki just said illegal migrants don’t require vaccines because they don’t intend to stay here. Turns out they’re just walking a thousand miles to get the extra steps in on their fit bits. What a ???????
— Jimmy Failla (@jimmyfailla) September 20, 2021
Jen Psaki is right here. The Haitian migrants didn’t travel here to stay, they just wanted to hit Whataburger and then return home back to Haiti. Totally true, guys. https://t.co/9kzIlSbPac
— Brandon Darby (@brandondarby) September 21, 2021
