Far-right GOP congresswoman brutally mocked for illogical attack on Biden’s immigration policies
One of the bogus claims coming from far-right MAGA Republicans is that Democrats, including the Biden Administration, are soft on illegal immigration and favor an “open borders” policy. Rep. Debbie Lesko of Arizona, a GOP congresswoman and Donald Trump loyalist who is never shy about fear-mongering when it comes to the U.S./Mexico border, made that claim in an April 19 tweet — only she contradicted herself by pointing out how many arrests the U.S. Border Patrol has been making.
Tweeting a Wall Street Journal article by reporters Tarini Parti and Michelle Hackman, Lesko commented that Border Patrol agents “have apprehended more than 1,000,000,000 migrants at our southern border in just 6 months” and added, “President Biden’s open border policies are fueling this crisis!”
Border Patrol agents have apprehended more than 1,000,000,000 migrants at our southern border in just 6 months.\n\u00a0\nPresident Biden\u2019s open border policies are fueling this crisis! #BidenBorderCrisishttps://www.wsj.com/articles/u-s-mexico-border-arrests-top-one-million-in-six-months-11650323756?mod=politics_lead_pos1\u00a0\u2026— Congresswoman Debbie Lesko (@Congresswoman Debbie Lesko) 1650411779
Lesko’s critics have been quick to point out not only how exaggerated her figures are (presumably, she meant to say 1 million, not 1 billion), but also, how badly she contradicted herself with her clumsy attempt at racist fear-mongering. If the U.S. Border Patrol is apprehending huge numbers of people in the Biden era, the Biden Administration can hardly be accused of encouraging an “open borders” policy.
Princeton University historian Kevin M. Kruse tweeted:
Everyone\u2019s dunking on her for failing second grade math, but don\u2019t overlook the fact that she\u2019s trying to argue that a million arrests at the border means we have an \u201copen border\u201dhttps://twitter.com/repdlesko/status/1516563037544665097\u00a0\u2026— Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1650453907
Here are some more responses to Lesko’s tweet:
A) 1 billion immigrants? Like, seriously?\nB) Isn't the fact that these immigrants were apprehended proof that we do not, in fact, have an "open border" policy? \nC) You do know what "apprehended" means, right?\nD) You high?— Yayger \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\udf3b (@Yayger \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 \ud83c\udf3b) 1650423355
So, even if true (obviously not), you should be celebrating that 1/7th of the population of the entire planet was stopped at the Mexican border. Way to go, Biden.— Gee Eff Jay Junior (@Gee Eff Jay Junior) 1650422719
Do you know what's the worst part of your argument, If that many have been stopped, it means the Biden Administration is doing their job, like the Trillion Tons of Fentynol they stopped or the Gazillion gallons of your favorite port whine.https://twitter.com/BaddCompani/status/1516622203239862273?s=20&t=5msSdGinotJH_ASrjX9rTQ\u00a0\u2026— Badd Company (@Badd Company) 1650427877
According to Congresswoman Debbie Lesko, US Border Patrol has stopped ONE BILLION PEOPLE\n\nA full 1/8 of the earth's population from improperly entering United States\n\nAnd to think\n\nTrump wasted all that time and energy trying to build a wallhttps://twitter.com/repdlesko/status/1516563037544665097\u00a0\u2026— Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast (@Adam Cohen Lawyers for Good Government #DemCast) 1650455263
Come for the 1 billion number stay for open borders that somehow stop 1 billion migrants— Gabe Rosenberg (@Gabe Rosenberg) 1650453580
Border Patrol successfully stopped 10 times the population of Mexico from crossing the border, which means we must close our border to prevent crossings that already aren\u2019t happening by the billions!https://twitter.com/RepDLesko/status/1516563037544665097\u00a0\u2026— Jo\u00e9 McKen (@Jo\u00e9 McKen) 1650427000
Holy fuck it's over 60 migrants per second! Way to go, border patrol!https://twitter.com/RepDLesko/status/1516563037544665097\u00a0\u2026— Division Bell (@Division Bell) 1650421566
Aside from the obvious typo everyone is rightfully poking fun at\u2026\nLogically; those migrants wouldn\u2019t have been apprehended if it was an open border as you claim\u2026right?— \ud83c\udf99 Bauer (@\ud83c\udf99 Bauer) 1650426852
If there was an open border policy, the number of apprehended people would be 0.\n\nSo quite clearly, the borders aren't just open. And all of this is also just ignoring that the lady just added 3 0s because counting 6 vs 9 0s is apparently difficult.— Ivan (@Ivan) 1650458254
