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Psaki finally calls border situation a ‘crisis’, but corrects to call it a ‘challenge’

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After weeks of referring to the situation along the southern border as a “challenge” and providing answers unsatisfactory to many, White House press secretary Jen Psaki called it a “crisis”. Although, she later corrected herself to call it a “challenge”.

This is the first time a senior Biden administration official has called it a “crisis,” albeit accidentally.

During Thursday’s daily press briefing, Psaki and CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe were having a back-and-forth over talks between the United States and Mexico about shipments of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine, as well as about Mexico helping stem the flow of migrants. It should be noted that the U.S. plans to ship doses to Canada, too.

RELATED: Report: Biden quietly telling Mexico to curb surge of migrants

O’Keefe asked if the U.S. had set “expectations” for the vaccine agreement linked to its southern neighbor’s collaboration in tackling the problems along their shared border.

“There have been expectations set outside of, unrelated to any vaccine doses or requests for them, that they would be partners in dealing with the crisis on the border,” Psaki replied. “There have been requests, unrelated, for doses of these vaccines. Every relationship has multiple layers of conversation that are happening at the same time.”

MORE ON THE BORDER: Biden’s message to migrants: ‘Don’t come over’

Later in the briefing, Real Clear Politics’ Philip Wegmann asked about her use of the word “crisis”. Psaki quickly responded, cutting him off, to clarify it as “challenges on the border.”

Wegmann then inquired if that “crisis” language reflected any changes in the administration’s view of the the border situation, to which she replied: “Nope.”

MORE ON THE BORDER: Arizona AG: Biden ‘incentivizing’ migrants ‘to break the law and come here’

Notably, Psaki has been pressed previously about hers and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas‘s refusal to call the situation a “crisis”.

RELATED: Biden admin refuses to call border situation a ‘crisis’

RELATED: Graham: ‘It’s time for Mayorkas to change course or change jobs’

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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