Topline
President Joe Biden dismissed a “garbage” Wall Street Journal report from last week that alleged his administration was considering paying about $450,000 to each individual separated from their family at the U.S.-Mexico border, saying that the purported plan to settle several lawsuits filed against the federal government on behalf of the immigrants was not under consideration.
President Joe Biden denied a report that his administration was considering paying $450,000 per … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Key Facts
After a Fox News reporter asked about the reported payments in a Wednesday press conference, Biden called the WSJ report that cited several anonymous sources “garbage” and “not true.”
Biden didn’t entirely deny that a settlement was in the works though, continuing, “$450,000 per person, is that what you said? That’s not gonna happen.”
The lawsuits stem from a policy under former President Donald Trump’s administration, in which immigrants seeking political asylum from Mexico were separated from their families at the border between 2017 and 2018, and defendants are seeking compensation for their alleged trauma.
The Biden administration’s reported settlement plan was widely ridiculed by Republicans, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Monday, “Honestly, this absurd idea feels like a satirical policy proposal that Republicans would have invented to make a parody out of the radical left.”
Chief Critic
The American Civil Liberties Union, which, along with other firms, represents separated families in lawsuits against the federal government, expressed disappointment in Biden’s comments in a written statement Wednesday: “If he follows through on what he said, the president is abandoning a core campaign promise to do justice for the thousands of separated families. We respectfully remind President Biden that he called these actions ‘criminal’ in a debate with then-President Trump, and campaigned on remedying and rectifying the lawlessness of the Trump administration. We call on President Biden to right the wrongs of this national tragedy.”
Big Number
5,500. That’s about how many children the ACLU believes were separated from their families during Trump’s presidency, though the WSJ’s report only identified 940 eligible families for the payment.
Further Reading
Republican Senators Ask Biden to Reject Payments to Migrant Families Separated at Border (WSJ)
Biden Administration Reportedly Considering $450,000 Payments To Families Separated At Southern Border (Forbes)
Stay connected with us on social media platform for instant update click here to join our Twitter, & Facebook
We are now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel (@TechiUpdate) and stay updated with the latest Technology headlines.
For all the latest Education News Click Here
