Stefanik Drops Fact Check on WaPo's 'Hack' Fact Checkers

As Townhall explained last week, fact checkers have proven themselves on numerous issues to be far more interested in "suppression and censorship" than actual fact checking. One need look no further than how the Wuhan lab leak theory was initially treated, along with Hunter Biden's laptop, and Anthony Fauci's lies, to name just a few examples. Now, Congresswoman Elise Stefanik is calling them out for what she argues is a "hack fact check." 

On Wednesday, The Washington Post's fact checkers gave the New York Republican two Pinocchios for stating, "May was the third straight month of 170,000 apprehensions, which hasn't occurred since 2000." 

Stefanik, the No. 3 leader for House Republicans, said President Biden “has failed to secure our southern border.” She pointed to monthly apprehensions carried out by U.S. immigration officials and indicated that the numbers are reaching peak levels last seen in 2000.

But the comparison she makes is not apples to apples.

The figures for March, April and May of this year mostly reflect individuals who are being expelled at the border regardless of their immigration status, under emergency public-health rules adopted to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

The numbers from 2000 include only apprehensions under federal immigration law, in land areas between legal ports of entry.

Immigration analysts say the combined figure for border apprehensions and coronavirus-related expulsions is not a bad indicator of migrant activity along the U.S.-Mexico border. However, they add that it’s tricky to compare this newfangled statistic to one from over 20 years ago that includes only apprehensions.

Penalties for breaking the coronavirus rules are less harsh than those under immigration law. Migrants do not get black marks on their records for attempting to cross the border under these rules, and the rate of recidivism is escalating this year. Factoring in rising recidivism rates, the monthly totals for unique individuals appear to be below 2019 levels. (WaPo)

Stefanik wasted no time responding, pointing out that The Washington Post itself used the same statistic in articles about illegal immigration published earlier this month. 

"My statement is 100% accurate," Stefanik said in a statement to the Daily Caller. "Whether an illegal is processed after apprehension at the southern border under Title 42 or Title 8 does not negate the irrefutable fact that total apprehensions according to Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) are at a 20-year high. The Washington Post’s own reporting confirms this irrefutable fact." 

Stefanik Drops Fact Check on WaPo's 'Hack' Fact Checkers by Leah Barkoukis (townhall.com)