Politics

Biden Vows Action on Migrants as He Defends Border Policy

Published

5 years ago

March 26, 2021

President Joe Biden speaks during a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Thursday, March 25, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will take steps to more quickly move hundreds of migrant children and teens out of cramped detention facilities along the Southwest border, President Joe Biden said. He was pushing back against suggestions that his administration’s policies are responsible for the rising number of people seeking to enter the country.

Pressed repeatedly on the border issue at his first news conference since taking office, Biden said Thursday his administration was taking steps to address the situation with measures such as setting aside space at a Texas Army base for about 5,000 unaccompanied minors. But he mostly fired back at criticism.

He noted that his administration, as was done under President Donald Trump, is continuing to quickly expel most adults and families under a public health order imposed at the start of the COVID-19 outbreak. The crucial difference is that the government is allowing teens and children, at least temporarily, to stay in the country, straining government resources during the pandemic.

“The only people we’re not going to let be left sitting there on the other side of the Rio Grande by themselves with no help are children,” he said.

The situation along the U.S.-Mexico border has become an early challenge for the administration, drawing more questions than any other subject at the maiden news conference, and diverting attention as the administration addresses the pandemic and the economy.

The number of migrants attempting to cross the border is at the highest level since a spring 2019 surge under Trump, according to the most recently released statistics. The numbers appear to be rising and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently warned they are on pace to hit a 20-year peak.

Biden sought to portray it as a seasonal spike and not, as critics have said, a result of moves such as his decisions to halt construction of border wall projects started under Trump or support for broad immigration legislation.

“It happens every year,” he said. “Does anybody suggest that there was a 31% increase under Trump because he was a nice guy and he was doing good things at the border? That’s not the reason they’re coming.”

Trump responded to a sharp increase in border crossings in 2019 by requiring migrants to wait in Mexico while the U.S. evaluated their asylum petitions or to make claims instead in Guatemala, El Salvador or Honduras. Those Trump-era programs were criticized for sending people fleeing violence back into dangerous situations.

Former acting DHS secretary Chad Wolf, now a fellow at the Heritage Foundation, said Thursday that Biden invited the current crisis by ending those programs and other measures. “He took away all of the consequences, at the same time he began to message that it was perfectly acceptable to come,” he said.

Biden, for his part, condemned the Trump-era requirement that migrants await their asylum claims in Mexico as “sitting on the edge of the Rio Grande in a muddy circumstance with not enough to eat.” He also criticized an earlier policy of separating children from their families at the border and argued that it’s conditions in people’s home countries that push them to the U.S. border.

“It’s because of earthquakes, floods. It’s because of lack of food. It’s because of gang violence,” he said. “It’s because of a whole range of things that when I was vice president had the same obligation to deal with unaccompanied children.”

Biden said that his administration is working to help the countries where migrants are coming from with long-term solutions to their issues, citing $700 million in aid going to Central America.

The number of migrants encountered by authorities along the Southwest border has been rising since April, shortly after the Trump administration imposed a public health order authorizing Customs and Border Protection to quickly expel most people. Many of those are repeat crossers, trying again after they have been sent back.

But in recent weeks, the number of unaccompanied minors has dramatically increased, straining the ability of CBP to hold them in their detention facilities until they can be turned over to the Department of Health and Human Services. The department houses them until they can be placed with relatives or sponsors while the government decides whether they have a legal claim for residency, either under asylum or for some other reason.

The government said there were nearly 5,000 children in Border Patrol custody as of Tuesday and an additional 11,551 at Department of Health and Human Services shelters.

Biden said the administration was opening up bed space at Fort Bliss, Texas, and was taking steps to more quickly to establish the identity of relatives in the U.S. so the minors can be moved out of government custody.

More than 100,000 migrants were stopped crossing the border in February, the most recent statistics publicly available. Most were single adults and were quickly turned back. Most families are being turned away as well, though Mexico has been refusing to accept some in shelters during the pandemic. Biden says it is working with the Mexican government to take more of them and to shore up its own border.

Wolf, however, is skeptical that any efforts by the Mexican government will make much of a difference. “The dynamics aren’t going to change unless the policies change,” he said.

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Florida

State Rep. Berny Jacques Files Bill Targeting Illegal Immigration and Employer Penalties

Published

4 days ago

January 8, 2026

Willie David

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Rep. Berny Jacques has filed legislation aimed at curbing illegal immigration in Florida by restricting access to financial services, housing assistance, and employment for unauthorized immigrants, while imposing stricter penalties on employers.

The proposal, HB 1307, seeks to eliminate what Jacques describes as incentives for illegal immigration and expand accountability for individuals and businesses that employ unauthorized workers.

Restrictions on Financial and Housing Access
HB 1307 would prohibit the Florida Department of Financial Services from issuing licenses to unauthorized immigrants. The bill also bars unauthorized immigrants from obtaining loans, homeownership assistance, or opening bank accounts in Florida.

In addition, the legislation would ban unauthorized immigrants from sending remittances from within the state, further limiting access to financial systems.

Expanded Employer Liability and Penalties
The bill establishes new penalties for employers who knowingly employ unauthorized immigrants. Employers would be held personally and fully liable for injuries sustained by unlawfully employed workers and could be required to reimburse public funds.

Under HB 1307, penalties escalate with repeated violations. A first violation would result in a one-year suspension of all business licenses and a $10,000 fine per violation. A second violation would lead to a five-year license suspension and fines of up to $100,000 per violation. A third violation would result in permanent revocation of licenses and fines of up to $250,000 per violation.

Employers found to employ 50 or more unauthorized immigrants would commit a third-degree felony and face permanent license revocation. The bill also requires employers to verify worker eligibility through the federal E-Verify system before submitting workers’ compensation claims.

Civil Liability and Auto Insurance Provisions
HB 1307 authorizes a civil cause of action against employers if an unauthorized employee causes injury or death to another person. The bill also includes provisions related to auto insurance claims, stating that unauthorized immigrants involved in motor vehicle accidents would be presumed at fault unless clear and convincing evidence demonstrates otherwise.

“We must remove the magnets for illegal migration and hold those who provide those magnets accountable,” Jacques said, urging lawmakers to support the proposal.

The bill will be considered during the upcoming legislative session.

Florida

Bracy Davis, Rosenwald File Bill to Fix My Safe Florida Home Program Application Barriers

Published

4 days ago

January 8, 2026

Willie David

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (FNN) — Senator LaVon Bracy Davis and Representative Mitch Rosenwald have filed legislation aimed at expanding access to the My Safe Florida Home Program by allowing homeowners to reapply when applications were previously deemed abandoned or withdrawn due to errors or omissions.

The measure, SB 1148/HB 1045, would modify program rules to permit subsequent applications when the original filing was rejected because of compliance-related mistakes, provided there is good cause and the applicant corrects the issue in a timely manner.

Expanding Access to Homeowner Assistance
The My Safe Florida Home Program is a state initiative that provides eligible Florida homeowners with inspections and grant funding to help strengthen their homes against storms while reducing insurance costs. The program is administered by the Florida Department of Financial Services.

Current rules allow for reapplication if an application was denied or withdrawn due to errors or omissions. However, the proposed legislation would also allow reapplication when an application was deemed abandoned or withdrawn because of similar compliance-related issues.

Addressing Bureaucratic Barriers
“At a time when Florida’s families are struggling with rising insurance costs, we cannot allow bureaucratic technicalities to block access to affordability tools,” said Bracy Davis, a Democrat from Ocoee.

The bill responds to concerns from homeowners who were unable to submit a new application after their original submission was closed due to misunderstandings or reasonable mistakes regarding program requirements.

Focus on Seniors and Low-Income Homeowners
Rosenwald, a Democrat from Oakland Park, said the legislation is intended to help vulnerable homeowners who rely on the program for financial relief.

“This program can be a lifeline for seniors and low-income homeowners,” Rosenwald said. “In response to Floridians reporting that they were blocked from submitting a new application because of a misunderstanding or reasonable mistake concerning program compliance, I filed this glitch bill.”

If approved, the legislation would ensure more homeowners have access to financial assistance aimed at strengthening homes and improving insurance affordability across Florida.

Central Florida News

Eddie Cole, Former Eatonville Mayor, Coach and Chaplain, Dies at 67

Published

3 weeks ago

December 21, 2025

Willie David

EATONVILLE, Fla. (FNN) — Eddie Cole, a former Eatonville mayor, longtime coach, chaplain and community leader, has died at the age of 67, town officials confirmed.

Cole, widely respected for his dedication to public service and his influence in basketball, passed away just months after being inducted into the Rollins College Sports Hall of Fame.

In a statement, the Town of Eatonville remembered Cole as “a servant leader whose heart beat for the people of Eatonville.” Officials praised his compassion, leadership and unwavering commitment to the community’s progress.

“Mayor Cole’s compassion and commitment to progress will forever be etched in the heart of Eatonville,” the statement read. “We honor his life, leadership, and the indelible impact he made on generations past, present and future.”

Cole’s legacy spans decades of civic leadership, mentorship and faith-based service, leaving a lasting imprint on the town and those he guided on and off the court.