The Biden administration faces criticism following reports the Department of Justice is negotiating $450,000 payments to migrant families. Hundreds of civil lawsuits filed against the federal government stem from a Trump-era border policy, which illegally separated children from their parents at the border in 2018.

“There were reports that were surfacing that your administration is planning to pay illegal immigrants who were separated from their families at the border,” Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocey said. “Do you think that might incentivize more people to come over illegally?” 

“If y’all keep sending that garbage out, yeah, but it’s not true,” President Biden responded.

In response to Biden’s comments, the American Civil Liberties Union or (ACLU), which is negotiating on the behalf of the families, issued this statement: 

“President Biden may not have been fully briefed about the actions of his very own Justice Department as it carefully deliberated and considered the crimes committed against thousands of families separated from their children as an intentional governmental policy, said ACLU Executive Director Anthony D. Romero. But if he follows through on what he said, the president is abandoning a core campaign promise to do justice for the thousands of separated families. We respectfully remind President Biden that he called these actions ‘criminal’ in a debate with then-President Trump, and campaigned on remedying and rectifying the lawlessness of the Trump administration. We call on President Biden to right the wrongs of this national tragedy.”

Less than 24 hours later, the Biden administration made an about-face on the issue. 

“If it saves taxpayer dollars and puts the disastrous history of the previous administration’s use of zero tolerance and family separation behind us,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Jean-Pierre said. 

Immigration Attorney Andres Mejer says the hundreds of lawsuits should not have been a surprise to the Biden administration. 

“There’s still 300 out of the 5,500 families that were separated, that have not been reunited,” Mejer said. “So, there’s only two things that they’re really looking for here. One is to be reunited, in case they’re not. And secondly, to be able to live in the United States. And beyond that, it’s compensation for the harm done to the children and the parents, emotional or physical.”

Republicans Lash Out at Biden Administration

“First, you break the law and get amnesty with Democrats. Now they are going to pay you for breaking the law,” Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) said.

“This incomprehensibly stupid idea of passing out up to half a million dollars to people whose first act in this country is a violation of our law makes no sense at all,” former Vice President Mike Pence said. 

As the Biden administration works to settle Trump-era lawsuits, it has immigration challenges of its own to fix. 

Democrats Equally Unhappy with Border Issues

“I’m pissed,” Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) said during a press conference in September. “I’m unhappy. And I’m not just unhappy with the cowboys who were running down Haitians and using their reigns to whip them. I’m happy [unhappy] with the administration.”