Ranking Member of the Border Security and Enforcement Subcommittee of the House Homeland Security Committee Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA) reacted to the surging number of encounters at the southern border by dismissing it as just a number. While on NewsNation, Correa argued that the issue is not about the amount of migrants crossing the border, but about “trying to figure out how we kickstart these economies around the world and how to get people to stay home, to be able to earn a living and this is what we’ve been ignoring.”
Breitbart reports that NewsNation host Blake Burman asked Correa if he believes that the 10,000 apprehensions a day dropping to 5,000 a day after the expiration of Title 42 is a show of success. Burman noted that 5,000 a day is still a really large number, especially as it adds up day after day and month after month.
Avoiding discussing any of the dangers that comes with such mass migration across the southern border, Correa tried diverting the conversation by comparing World War II refugees to those living in post COVID economies today. “The big picture is this is the biggest movement of refugees since World War II. … Right now, post-COVID world economies are shattered around the world,” Correa said.
Correa went on to say that the U.S. economy is “the only economy really hitting on all its cylinders,” adding that this is the reason why so many people are seeking refuge in America. He cited a low unemployment rate and said “people are voting with their feet to move to come to the U.S.”
Addressing the number of migrants entering the United States, Correa focused on the point that the number was lower than previous weeks, ignoring that it was still high. Correa praised the supposed work of Mexico, Guatemala, and Colombia hosting and caring for refugees themselves.
“This is a worldwide phenomenon,” Correa said, noting that Canada is also trying to “figure it out” as well. Correa continued to defend his assertion that “it’s not about a number at the border,” but about helping other countries fix their economies to get people to earn a living and be able to stay there.