The Associated Press sent out a memo to its staffers ordering them not to refer to the sudden influx of illegal immigrants at the border as a “crisis.”
Journalist Julio Ricardo Varela leaked an internal memo from the Associated Press that warned staffers against calling the current a crisis. The AP confirmed the validity of the emails to Fox News.
“The current events in the news – a sharp increase in the arrival of unaccompanied minors – is a problem for border officials, a political challenge for Biden and a dire situation for many migrants who make the journey, but it does not fit the classic dictionary definition of a crisis,” says the memo.
“Therefore, we should avoid, or at least, be highly cautious, about referring to the present situation as a crisis on our own, although we may quote others using that language,” continued the memo. “If using the word ‘crisis,’ we need to ask of what and to whom.”
“In theory, there could be a security or a border crisis if officials lose control of the border, allowing people to enter unencumbered in large numbers,” continued the memo. “But, in general, avoid hyperbole in calling anything a crisis or an emergency.”
During a press breifing on Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki spewed similar statements.
“Children presenting at our border who are fleeing violence, who are fleeing prosecution, who are fleeing terrible situations is not a crisis,” said Psaki. “We feel it is our responsibility to humanely approach this circumstance and make sure they are put into conditions that are safe.”
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