White House confirms it was the dollar figure to be paid to illegal immigrants that Biden called 'garbage'

Last week, the Wall Street Journal published a report saying that the U.S. was in talks to offer $450,000 per person to families who were separated at the border in 2018. Questioned about the report Wednesday by Fox News’ Peter Doocy, President Joe Biden called it “garbage” — although as Joe Concha noted, no one from the White House had disputed the report since it was published.

Joe Biden calls reports about paying $450,000 to illegal immigrants separated from families during the Trump administration "garbage." pic.twitter.com/LUhUY46ZC9

— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) November 3, 2021

On Thursday, White House Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Justice Department was still in talks about the payments but said it was the $450,000 figure that Biden was dismissing as “garbage.”

A White House spokeswoman says Biden is "perfectly comfortable" giving cash payments to illegal immigrants for breaking the law. pic.twitter.com/dxDf3rFoyq

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) November 4, 2021

.@KJP46 cleans up Biden’s comments yesterday re: the potential $450,000 settlements for immigrants affected by the family separation policies of the Trump admin. Karine says Biden is “perfectly comfortable” w settlements if it comes to that (Biden had said it’s not gonna happen)

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) November 4, 2021

Pressed later on whether Biden had been briefed by DOJ on the settlement issue, and whether it was appropriate for @POTUS to weigh in (again) on a pending DOJ matter, @KJP46 says “he was asked a question and he answered it. There’s nothing much more to add to that.”

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) November 4, 2021

Karine said that Biden’s reaction yesterday was to the “dollar figure that was mentioned” (the $450K)

— Seung Min Kim (@seungminkim) November 4, 2021

ACLU official AnthonyBiden Romero told the Wall Street Journal in its follow-up piece Thursday morning that Biden “may not have been fully briefed about the actions of his very own Justice Department” and that the Justice Department had assured the ACLU that talks were continuing.