El Paso mayor denies report White House urged against emergency declaration for border crisis
Texas mayor claims the Biden admin had no involvement in his decision not to declare a state of emergency
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser is denying allegations the White House encouraged him not to declare a state of emergency over the border crisis, as the influx of illegal migrants continues to overwhelm the Texas city.
Leeser, a Democrat, joined "America's Newsroom" Wednesday to discuss the report, denying the Biden administration had any involvement in his decision against the declaration.
"Absolutely not," Lesser told co-host Dana Perino when asked if the White House pressured him. "One of the things that I'm very thankful to, the White House, the federal government, they've done a really, really good job of working with us and helping us to make sure we get funding to be able to do the job that border cities are required to do."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}EL PASO SHELTERS PUSHED TO BRINK BY MIGRANT CRISIS: ‘THERE’S A STORM COMING'
A U.S. Border Patrol agent speaks with Central American immigrants at the border fence. (John Moore/Getty Images)
"One of the things we need to learn and really make sure we do is that we take the politics out of this," Lesser continued. "We have human lives. We have human people here… I ran as a Democrat, but it's really important that once we run for office, and we get elected, we take the ‘R’ or the ‘D’ away from our names and understand that we have to represent 100% of the people that elected us."
The New York Post reported the White House cautioned Leeser against declaring an emergency over the influx, according to city council member Claudia Rodriguez.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rodriguez joined "Fox & Friends" Wednesday to discuss the accusations, alleging Leeser told her he was open to an emergency declaration if the situation worsened.
"In September, I had a phone call with him, I called him and I told him I was really concerned about the increasing number in migrants that we were having," Rodriguez told co-host Steve Doocy.
"I asked him to please consider again to declare a state of emergency, and he said, not at this time… I had the White House ask me not to do it," she continued.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Rodriguez said she asked Leeser again to declare a state of emergency, but was shot down at a city meeting where the mayor reportedly reiterated the Biden administration's desire for him not to do it.
A Venezuelan migrant couple seeking asylum kiss after crossing the Rio Bravo river to turn themselves in to U.S. Border Patrol agents to request asylum in El Paso, Texas, U.S., as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico October 6, 2022. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez
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Leeser insisted during his interview with Perino that the Biden administration's new policy with Mexico on removing Venezuelan migrants is having an impact on the surge, even as the city has bussed thousands of migrants to New York City and Chicago.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"I'm very thankful to be the mayor of the city of El Paso and a city that really cares," he said.