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Biden says journalists will get ‘full access’ to migrant facilities but is unsure when

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President Joe Biden said the press will have “full access” to the migrant facilities near the southern border but couldn’t provide an answer for when that would happen.

RELATED: WATCH: Biden delivers first press conference of his presidency

At his first formal press conference as commander-in-chief Thursday afternoon, Biden was asked by Kristen Welker of NBC News when journalists will be let into the facilities. Reports of these facilities have described cramped conditions and poor accommodations for migrants—especially unaccompanied children—that have trekked to the U.S.-Mexico border during the massive surge in crossings since January.

“Given the conditions that were just laid out at the migrant facilities at the U.S. border, will you commit to allowing journalists to have access to the facilities that are overcrowded, moving forward?” Welker asked.

“I will commit when my plan—very shortly—is underway to let you have access to not just me, but to other facilities as well,” the president said.

MORE ON THE BORDER: Migrants tell Sara Carter about their harrowing journey to the border

“How soon will journalists be able to have access to the facilities?” Welker pressed him. “We’ve obviously been allowed to be inside one, but we haven’t seen the facilities in which children are packed together to really give the American people a chance to see that. Will you commit to transparency on this issue?”

“I will commit to transparency, and as soon as I am in a position to be able to implement what we are doing right now,” Biden replied, then going on to explain that one of the reasons he has yet to visit the facilities himself is because he doesn’t “want to become the issue” due to his large Secret Service team following him.

MORE ON THE BORDER: Sara Carter obtains whistleblower email describing ‘extremely unsafe and unhealthy’ conditions at migrant facility

“You will have full access to everything once we get this thing moving,” he added.

This didn’t satisfy Welker, who had moderated the final debate between him and then-President Donald Trump and was generally praised for keeping the pair in relatively line.

“Just to be clear,” she pressed, “how soon will that be, Mr. President?”

“I don’t know, to be clear,” Biden replied.

MORE ON THE BORDER: ‘Not today’: Kamala Harris laughs when asked if she plans to visit the border

On Wednesday, journalists were given limited access to a facility in Carrizo Springs, Texas operated by the Department of Health and Human Services, as The New York Post noted. However, the Biden administration has not allowed the press into more overcrowded Border Patrol camps.

You can follow Douglas Braff on Twitter @Douglas_P_Braff.

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Immigration

Is the Mexican President blackmailing the U.S.? $20 billion or ‘flow of migrants will continue’

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Mexican President Lopez Obrador

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador doubled down on his attempt to blackmail the United States into paying billions of dollars, or else the “flow of migrants will continue.” A report at Fox News reveals that Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador earlier “demanded a series of actions by the United States in order for him to try to cut off some of the millions of illegal aliens coming from Mexico into the United States across its southern border.”

Then just days ago, he said in an appearance on 60 Minutes that if the U.S. fails to meet his demands, “The flow of migrants will continue.” The report said Obrador, in recent weeks, has demanded that the U.S. give $20 billion a year to Latin American nations, lift sanctions on Venezuela, end the Cuban embargo and give legal status in America to the millions of Mexicans who already have entered illegally.

“Mexico has reportedly taken some state-level action to curb mass migration at President Biden’s request, making crossings drop, however, the number of migrants began to rise again in February, with Border Patrol expecting another surge in the spring,” the report said.

WND reports that the Interviewer Sharyn Alfonsi asked, “Everybody thinks you have the power in this moment to slow down migration. Do you plan to?”

He responded that the “root causes” must be addressed.

“Your critics have said what you’re doing, what you’re asking for to help secure the border, is diplomatic blackmail. What do you say?” Alfonsi asked. He later seemed to contradict himself, confirming that even if those things don’t happen, he will continue to try to help secure the border because the relationship between the nations is important.

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