In an interview published by The New York Times on Saturday, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) made the misleading claim that fewer illegal aliens entered the United States under President Joe Biden’s administration than during President-elect Donald Trump’s first term. The assertion stands in stark contrast to the record-breaking surge in illegal immigration seen under Biden.
“I don’t think we were clear enough by saying fewer people came in under President Biden than came under Donald Trump,” Pelosi, 84, stated when pressed about the overwhelming public concern regarding illegal immigration. Her comments were aimed at defending the Democratic Party’s messaging after a resounding defeat in the 2024 election.
However, the data tells a different story. Official statistics show that well over 10 million illegal aliens have crossed the U.S. border since Biden took office, compared to approximately 2.5 million during Trump’s first term. Biden’s presidency has seen unprecedented spikes in border crossings, with several months hitting all-time highs.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 19, 2024
Pelosi dismissed the idea that policy issues like immigration, the economy, and inflation were the primary reasons for the Democrats’ loss. Instead, she argued that cultural narratives played a bigger role. “I don’t think we were clear enough on the cultural issue,” Pelosi said, suggesting that Trump’s remarks about some illegal immigrants being “murderers, rapists, thieves, and all the rest” had shaped public perception.
When the Times interviewer pushed back, pointing out that millions of illegal aliens had poured over the U.S. border, Pelosi doubled down, insisting that immigration was a “cultural issue” rather than a policy failure. “It’s a cultural issue because of the rhetoric used by Republicans to describe the people coming in,” she argued.
The Times noted that many Americans felt strongly about the impact of illegal immigration on their communities, with polling data consistently showing that immigration was a top voter concern. Pelosi’s attempt to downplay the crisis by framing it as a cultural narrative was met with skepticism, especially given the sheer volume of illegal entries under Biden’s watch.
Pelosi further claimed that the illegal aliens entering the U.S. were not criminals, despite the fact that unlawfully crossing the border is a violation of federal statutes. Moreover, reports indicate that many of those entering have criminal histories, either in the U.S. or in their countries of origin, adding to public safety concerns.
Pelosi’s statements come as the Democratic Party faces mounting criticism for its handling of border security and immigration policy. The record-high numbers of illegal crossings during Biden’s presidency have prompted widespread backlash from both sides of the political aisle, with many arguing that the administration’s approach has led to a breakdown in border control and a crisis in border communities.
As the party grapples with the fallout from the 2024 election loss, Pelosi’s remarks highlight a growing divide within Democratic ranks over how to address the immigration issue. Her insistence that the problem is cultural rather than policy-based suggests a reluctance to confront the impact of the Biden administration’s border policies, even as voters continue to demand action on securing America’s borders.