A very confused President Joe Biden appeared to mix up Title 42 – an immigration policy that allows the federal government to rapidly deport many illegal aliens back to Mexico or their home countries - with the federal mask mandate for air travel that was struck down this week by a judge.
“Are you considering delaying the repeal of Title 42?” a reporter asked Biden Thursday morning, referring to the Trump-era policy that the Biden administration has vowed to end in May under immense pressure from pro-illegal immigration advocates.
"No – what I’m considering is continuing to hear from my – my…uh…first of all, there’s gonna be an appeal by the Justice Department because as a matter of principle, we want to be able to be in a position where, if in fact, it is strongly concluded by the scientists that we need Title 42, that we be able to do that," Biden stumbled.
"But there has been no decision on extending Title 42," he added.
Oh... my... God...
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) April 21, 2022
Joe Biden was asked about Title 42 on the southern border.
He started talking about the DOJ appeal on airplane mask mandates. pic.twitter.com/yGaHsuEbaB
Just to get ahead of the "factcheckers" who will undoubtedly find a way to claim that Biden didn't just say what we all heard him say: by referencing the DOJ appeal, Biden appears to be mistakenly thinking of the federal government’s rule mandating passengers wear face masks aboard airplanes, a rule that was struck down by a judge earlier this week in a ruling that the Biden Justice Department has vowed to appeal.
And, while it is possible that "scientists" could be involved in any future Title 42 decisions (a policy put in place during the COVID pandemic and which cites the "interest of public health" as the basis for rapidly deporting migrants), there has been no announced DOJ "appeal" to Title 42, considering that the CDC announced on April 1 that it will end Title 42 on May 23.