Rep. Jayapal shredded for saying Biden border enforcement 'so heavy-handed' she has 'concerns:' 'Out of touch'

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., claimed on Thursday that President Biden has been "so heavy-handed" in defending the border amid unprecedented waves of immigrant encounters that she has "serious concerns."

The migrant crisis has even made some Democratic leaders warn that Biden’s lack of action to stem the tide is hurting their cities. Jayapal, however, appears to disagree. 

During a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on illegal immigration, Jayapal declared, "There is so much fearmongering going on that it is difficult to know exactly where to start." 

"The Biden administration is enforcing immigration laws," she continued. "In fact, the administration has been so heavy-handed in recent months that I have serious concerns about how they are conducting border enforcement."

Rep. Jayapal defended immigration during a recent hearing.

Jayapal then appeared to justify her claim by comparing Biden's numbers to those during Trump's presidency.

CONSERVATIVE GROUPS, EX-BORDER OFFICIALS DEMAND LAWMAKERS REJECT ‘UNACCEPTABLE’ BORDER COMPROMISE

"This is especially true when it comes to the administration regulations that limit access to asylum and the use of expedited processing procedures for families. Today there are nearly 38,000 people in immigration and customs enforcement detention, which, by the way, is what the Trump Administration averaged in fiscal year, 2018. But if you listen to my colleagues on the other side, you would think that there are zero people in detention," she said. 

"The Biden administration has also significantly increased removals in a way that I worry violates migrants' due process rights and their ability to lawfully seek asylum. Since the end of Title 42 last year, the Biden Administration has removed or return to Mexico over 400,000 individuals, including over 65,000 individual members of family units, including children. This total is nearly equivalent to the number of people removed in all of fiscal year 2019 under Donald Trump, so the idea that the administration is not enforcing the law is ridiculous."

Sources with Customs and Border Protection have told Fox News Digital that migrant encounters hit a staggering 300,000 incidents in December 2023, reaching a level thought unimaginable just years ago. It is the highest total for a single month ever recorded and also the first time migrant encounters have exceeded 300,000. 

Migrants depart from Tapachula, Mexico, Sunday, Dec. 24, 2023. The caravan started the trek north through Mexico just days before U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrives in Mexico City to discuss new agreements to control the surge of migrants seeking entry into the United States.  ((AP Photo/Edgar H. Clemente))

REPUBLICANS SEE PROGRESS IN BORDER TALKS, BUT UNCLEAR IF DEAL WITHIN REACH AS CRISIS RAGES

Jayapal, an immigrant herself, has a long history of defending mass immigration, ranging from arguing in 2022 that the migrant crisis can be fixed by allowing "ways to come in here legally" to suggesting "this country would collapse without immigrants" last March. 

In December, she warned her fellow Democrats against trying to "out-Republican the Republicans on anti-immigration policies."

But her latest claim that Biden’s management of the border has been concerningly "heavy-handed" sparked quick backlash on social media.

"Actually, he hasn't let in all the human traffickers and fentanyl is a fun take," The Spectator contributing editor Stephen L. Miller joked.

"OUT OF TOUCH WITH REALITY," Discovery Institute senior fellow and Washington-based journalist Jonathan Choe wrote.

"She is not a serious person," Seattle radio host Ari Hoffman wrote.

"Once again showing you that progressives are literally insane," National Review contributor Pradheep Shanker posted.

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Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..