WH tries to clarify message to migrants about arriving in U.S. via Mexico

During the White House briefing on Wednesday, Ambassador Roberta Jacobson, coordinator for the southern border, clarified that even though the Biden administration plans to have processes for migrants to come to the U.S., they should not try to enter the country illegally.

Video Transcript

- Are you concerned at all about kind of mixed messaging, that at the same time that you are telling people not to come, that the journey is dangerous, that because you are offering this-- this talk about a more humanitarian process, that people will not, you know, pay attention to the fact that they could apply from home-- from their home country, that they would still come? That they are still, you know, so hopeful, that there really is kind of a conflicting message coming from Washington?

ROBERTA JACOBSON: I think when you look at the issue of mixed messages, it is difficult at times to convey both hope in the future, and the danger that is now. And that is what we're trying to do. And I-- I will certainly agree that we are trying to walk and chew gum at the same time. We are trying to convey to everybody in the region that we will have legal processes for people in the future, and we're standing those up as soon as we can.

But at the same time, you cannot come through irregular means. It's dangerous and, you know, the majority of people will be sent out of the United States because that is the truth of it. We want to be honest with people. And so we are trying to send both messages. And smugglers are only trying to send one message. So we're relying on every means we can to get that message out there. And that leads me to want to reiterate, as I did before--

[SPEAKING SPANISH]