Joe Biden has just escalated the crisis at the southern border. It is unclear if the compliant network will notice. The Biden administration declared last week that it was ending Title 42. This COVID-era policy allows illegal border crossers to be expelled immediately. Considering that the February border crossings were already 63 percent higher than the same time last year, get ready for a dangerous situation to get even worse.
But you wouldn’t know how bad the situation at the border is if you watched the ABC, CBS and NBC evening newscasts over the last two months. These shows were able to provide zero minutes or zero seconds coverage of the border statistics in February. They were slightly worse in March with nine minutes and four second coverage.
Eight minutes and fifteen seconds of coverage was devoted to stories that were understandably compassionate about the struggles of Ukrainians who are trying to cross into America from Europe after fleeing conflict in Europe. This type of coverage was acceptable, considering that Americans are sympathetic to the situation of the Ukrainian people. The Title 42 was responsible for the remaining 49 seconds.
Here’s the breakdown for March: NBC, had the most coverage at six minutes and 31 seconds. CBS came in third with just 30 seconds, while ABC was second at two minutes and thirty seconds.
The last year has seen a surge in border violence and crime. These topics have been ignored for the past two months.
The only topic that was not discussed at the meeting, other than the Ukrainians crossing the border with Ukraine, was Title 42. It was March 30. Nightly News journalist Gabe Gutierrez explained: “Breaking late today, news that would make it easier for immigrants, including those feeling Ukraine, to come to the U.S. The Biden administration in late May is planning to lift Title 42, the public health policy that denied asylum seekers entry due to COVID.”
He mildly added, “Officials at the border are anticipating a surge when the policy lifts.” On the March 30 CBS Evening News, Ed O’Keefe echoed, “Authorities now say it’s going to end by May, and iThis could cause a record number of immigrants trying to cross the southern border.”
A “record surge” could be coming? It’s already here. The 30 March MTP Daily, Jeh Jonson, Barack Obama’s Department of Homeland Security Secretary, publicly conceded the bleak assessment. To keep already high numbers of suicides from continuing, he agreed with Title 42. Johnson candidly shared a view not shown on the networks.
I’m waiting to see when and if they drop Title 42 for the southern border. This is, in truth, an attempt to lower the number …. Typically, the largest months are March, April, and we’re surging right now. Just for perspective, we’re about to hit one million in six months. 468k was my highest ever year. That was a political high that made it feel like the end was near. These are huge numbers. They’re unsustainable, in my view.
Each day the Biden crisis at Mexico’s border is having real-world impacts. These are only a few:
- Jean R. Macean, an illegal immigrant, was taken into custody for the murders of Terry Aultman and Brenda Aultman, Tallahassee (Florida), March 10, 2022. The State Attorney’s Office called it “one of the most vicious attacks I’ve ever seen in my 20 years.”
- A February incident in North California saw an illegal immigrant shoot 17 shots, killing three of his daughters and one other person.
- The following are the New York Post explained on March 4: “In a deal to avoid facing the death penalty, a Salvadoran serial killer who was in the US illegally was slapped with consecutive life sentences after he admitted to four Nevada murders.”
These stories were featured on network news broadcasts. No. This out-of-control border situation will only get worse with the end of Title 42. Joe Manchin, a Democratic senator from Georgia, and Kyrsten Sinema of the Democrats have urged Biden to maintain this policy.
It’s time for ABC, CBS and NBC to look this crisis in the face and cover it. Even if this means that the Biden administration will get worse news.