Hearing Wrap Up: Republicans Call Out Biden’s COVID Double Standard for Migrants

WASHINGTON – The Select Subcommittee on the Coronavirus Crisis today held a hearing to examine the Biden Administration’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Anthony Fauci, and Chief Science Officer for COVID Response David Kessler.

At the hearing, Republican lawmakers pointed out the Biden Administration’s hypocrisy on enforcing CDC guidance, emphasizing it requires Americans to adhere to coronavirus requirements but allows untested and COVID-positive migrants arriving at the southern border to be released into the United States. Republican lawmakers also emphasized the importance of reopening schools and restoring Americans’ First Amendment rights.

During questioning from Republican Whip and Select Subcommittee Ranking Member Steve Scalise (R-La.), Dr. Fauci admitted the Biden Administration is not following their own COVID guidance at the border that they are imposing on every other American.

Scalise: [Showing a picture of crowded migrant facilities] Dr. Fauci does this look like social distancing to you?

Fauci: No.

Scalise: In these cells, they are violating the very guidance you are telling Americans to follow. Restaurants in America would be shut down today … All of these children are next to each other, many six inches apart and without masks. Does this follow your guidance?

Fauci: No.

Scalise: Why would the Biden Administration not go and stop this? President Biden and Vice President Harris won’t even go see this for themselves …They are violating the very guidance that Americans are required to follow.

Representative Mark Green (R-Tenn.) recently returned from the southern border and emphasized the health crisis created by President Biden’s open border policies.

“This is what you get when you open the border. Americans are being infected with a deadly virus and potentially other pathogens, coronavirus variants are pouring into the United States, more Americans will die from drug overdose, and more women and children are being trafficked. And Biden and Harris sit in D.C. with no plans to visit the border and no solutions to offer.”

Representative Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-Iowa) questions Drs. Fauci and Walensky about migrants entering the U.S. untested.

Miller-Meeks: Do you think all migrants crossing our border should be tested for COVID-19 before entering our country or being sent to other locations in our country?

Fauci: Ideally, that would be the case.

Miller-Meeks: Do you support migrants being testing at the border?

Fauci: Yes.

Walensky: We are working to get testing … at the border.

Representative Nicole Malliotakis (R-N.Y.) calls on Drs. Fauci and Walensky to address inconsistencies with COVID guidelines that permit migrant facilities to be open at 900% capacity but only allow New York restaurants to be open at 50% capacity.

“These [migrant] facilities could be at 900% capacity and my local restaurants are at 50% capacity and are struggling to keep their doors open. This is the type of inconsistency and double standard we are seeing from our leadership … If we want people to follow these rules, they need to be consistent and fair.”

Representative Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) called on Dr. Fauci to provide an answer about when restrictions will be lifted and when Americans will get their First Amendment freedoms back, but he refused to provide a specific, objective standard for when that will happen.

During questioning from Scalise, Drs. Fauci and Walensky confirm schools can reopen without teachers being vaccinated and ongoing school closures harm children’s well-being.

Scalise: Dr. Walensky, you were quoted as saying, “Safe reopening of schools does not suggest that teachers need to be vaccinated in order to reopen safely.” … Do you still stand by this statement you made?

Walensky: I do.

Scalise: Dr. Fauci, you said “I would back the CDC recommendations because that is really based on data.” … Do you stand by that as well?

Fauci: Yes.