By Jennie Taer
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas quickly fled a press conference Thursday in which he failed to answer questions from any reporters.
Mayorkas appeared at the St. Elizabeth’s campus, which houses several DHS offices, in Washington, D.C. to discuss the new construction of sustainable buildings and parking spaces related to a $288-million investment as part of the Inflation Reduction Act. The DHS press team instructed reporters to arrive at least 45 minutes before the outdoor event to go through security and to take a golf cart to the area on the campus where the conference was held, but were told after an hour passed that questions couldn’t be asked of Mayorkas.
“Mr. Secretary, the southern border numbers are up to 130,000 after dipping down. Are you lawful pathways working?” this reporter asked.
Mayorkas then quickly turned his head and walked away while the press conference continued walking with D.C. Congressional Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton.
“When are you gonna answer my questions?” this reporter asked as Mayorkas walked away.
The Biden administration has touted legal entry programs implemented to address an expected surge in illegal immigration after May 11 as the reason illegal migrant encounters fell to roughly 99,000 following the policy’s end in the month of June. In July, however, illegal migrant encounters hit 130,000.
One of the programs, CBP One, a phone app allowing migrants to schedule legal entry appointments, led to a record surge of migrants entering the country through ports of entry in June after Title 42 ended.
Before the press conference, a press officer with DHS told reporters after an hour passed of standing outside that Mayorkas would not be taking questions.
“So why are we here?,” this reporter asked to which the press officer repeated that Mayorkas wouldn’t be taking questions.
After the presser finished, a DHS employee driving reporters in a golf cart to the campus exit told this reporter that Mayorkas had to leave because of his schedule.
“Unfortunately, he had another engagement and he couldn’t really say,” she said.
