English subtitles for clip: File:6-20-14- White House Press Briefing.webm

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Mr. Earnest: Good
afternoon, everybody.

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It's nice to see all
your smiling

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faces this afternoon.

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It must be because it's
Friday there

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are so many smiles.

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Well, today is my final
briefing

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as the Principal Deputy Press Secretary.

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(laughter)

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I'm pleased that there's
such a strong turnout

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to mark this occasion.

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So I'll be looking for
your Hallmark

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cards later today.

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The Press: We're still
on Jay time, then.

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Mr. Earnest: We are
still on Jay time.

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Since you brought him up,
I will say one thing.

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He did his last briefing
here on Wednesday,

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and he is somebody who devoted a
significant portion

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of his life over the last three
years working hard

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to serve this President and
to serve all of you.

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And we are sad to see him
go, but wish

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him all the best as he pursues
the next chapter in his career

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and sensibly, will spend
more time with his family

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in a way that he's
pretty happy about

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and presumably, they are too.

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The Press: And Colbert.

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Mr. Earnest: Exactly.

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So, Josh, I'll let you do
the first question today.

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The Press: Thanks, Josh.

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(laughter)

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At risk of jumping the gun for
Monday, I on behalf

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of my colleagues wanted to welcome

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you to your new role behind the
podium.

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I know it's not your first
rodeo,

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but it's official now.

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So, welcome.

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If we could start on
Ukraine,

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President Poroshenko has
declared a unilateral

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ceasefire for the next week.

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But at the same time, the
Russian troops

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along the border that we had
seen pulled back

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looks like they're heading
back to the border.

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So is the U.S. concerned

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about a buildup
of Russian

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forces along the border?

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Mr. Earnest: The short
answer to your question,

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Josh, is yes, we are.

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The United States has been
very clear in our support

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for President Poroshenko's
efforts to bring

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peace and unity to Ukraine.

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President Poroshenko has
been clear since

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he took office that he is
committed to finding

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a peaceful resolution to the
crisis, and he has offered

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to grant amnesty to
separatists within

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Ukraine and provide safe passage
back to Russia

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to those Russian militants
operating

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in eastern Ukraine.

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He has also committed
to continue a national

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dialogue to unite the
country and pledged

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to de-centralize power and
undertake constitutional

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reform to address the
legitimate concerns

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of the Iranian people -- of
the Ukrainian people.

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Now, we've also been very
clear that there

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are some asks of President
Putin as well.

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We have repeatedly called
on the Russians to support

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peace and to promote some
stability

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to the security situation in Ukraine.

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We've also asked them to
halt the provision

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of arms and materiel across the
border

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from Russia to Ukraine.

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We also want them to stop
supporting the militants

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who are fomenting so much
violence

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and instability in that country.

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Now, unfortunately, there
is mounting evidence

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that shows a buildup of Russian
military forces

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near the border with Ukraine,
contrary to the statements

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by Kremlin officials.

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We do not see any evidence
that the Russian

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military units arriving to the
region

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are connected to any type of
border security mission.

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And further, reports from
Moscow that

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the Russian Defense Ministry is
considering

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creating military cordons in
eastern Ukraine

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are also troubling.

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So we're monitoring
the situation closely.

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And we will not accept any
use of Russian military

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forces under any pretext
in eastern Ukraine;

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after all, eastern Ukraine
is a sovereign country.

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And interference by
outside countries

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is a violation of their sovereignty

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and territorial integrity.

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There is one other point
that I actually want

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to raise here that is also
important

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and of some concern.

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In addition, inflammatory
statements such as those

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by Foreign Minister Lavrov
earlier this week

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in which he described ethnic
cleansing taking place

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in Ukraine are simply false.

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We see these statements
for what they

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are, an attempt to create
pretext for further illegal

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Russian intervention
in Ukraine.

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In fact, responsibility
for the deterioration

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in the human rights situation
in Ukraine

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lies with the armed separatists
who are targeting the population

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and their backers
in Russia.

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Multiple reports by human
rights monitors

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over the past several months
have indicated

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that armed separatists groups
supported by Russia

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are perpetrating an increasing
number of killings,

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abductions, and other
violent human

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rights abuses in eastern Ukraine.

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And the same is happening
in Crimea

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under Russian occupation.

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What the President said in
Europe and actually

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had the opportunity to
communicate directly

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to President Putin was that
there is an opportunity

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for Russia to play a
constructive

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role in this process.

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There is no reason for the
people of Ukraine

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to have to choose between good
relations with Russia

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and good relations
with the West.

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In fact, there's an
opportunity

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for them to have both.

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But they're only going to
have those solid relations

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if Russia respects the
sovereignty of Ukraine

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and works in a cooperative
fashion to bring

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some stability to the security
situation there.

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The Press: And just to
clarify,

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you said that eastern Ukraine
was a sovereign country,

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but you're referring to
eastern Ukraine

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as part of a sovereign Ukraine.

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Mr. Earnest:
That's correct.

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The Press: And to move
to Iraq, the top Shiite

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cleric there, al-Sistani,
is now calling for there

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to be a new government.

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Considering that he's a
member of al-Maliki's

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own religious group, does
that lead

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the U.S. to think that it's time
for a new government

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there to take over?

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Mr. Earnest: The views of
this administration

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have not changed, which is that
the leadership

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of the Iraqi government should
be determined

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by the Iraqi people.

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That is the policy of
this administration.

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It's something that the
President reiterated

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when he spoke to you yesterday
from this podium.

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Now, it is also the
belief of the Obama

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administration and of the
President personally

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that a successful Iraqi
government,

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that is an Iraqi central
government that has control

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over the country and can bring
some stability

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to the security situation there,
will be a government that

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governs in an inclusive fashion.

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Pursuing an inclusive
political agenda

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is critical to the success
of that country,

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and it's critical to
demonstrating to all of the

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people in Iraq that they have an
interest in that country's

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prosperity and in that
country's future.

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So we're going to continue
to support the Iraqi

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people and support the
Iraqi government as they

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consider pursuing a
diplomatic or political

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agenda along these lines.

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Roberta, I'll
give you the next.

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The Press: The new
programs announced today

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to deal with the child
immigration problem,

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where is the money for those new
programs

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going to come from?

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Does Congress have
to approve that?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, let me
just back

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up just a little bit to make
sure that everybody

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is up to date in terms of what
we're talking about here.

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What was announced earlier
today

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by the Department of Homeland Security

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was a commitment of additional judges, asylum officers

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and immigration attorneys to
deal with what we're seeing

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in terms of the increasing flow
of adults who are showing

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up at the border between the
United States and Mexico.

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In addition, we have also
committed resources

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to opening up facilities in
this country to deal

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with the growing problem of
adults who appear

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on the border with children;
that is adults from other

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countries who are seeking
to illegally enter

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this country, and have
children with them.

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And then once those
facilities

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are up and running, we will then
deploy a similar surge

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of judges, asylum officers
and attorneys

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to more quickly and efficiently
deal

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with those immigration cases.

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In many cases, these
are asylum requests.

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And that's why we'll have
asylum officers

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and judges there to process them
quickly and efficiently.

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In terms of paying for
this, I don't have

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any details to offer you
specifically here.

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I will just point out that
in recent weeks,

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we've seen comments from
Democrats and Republicans

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in Congress expressing
concern

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about this situation, about
this influx

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that we're seeing along the
southern border,

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mostly in the Rio Grande Valley.

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So it would be our hope
and expectation

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that those members of Congress
who are expressing concern

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about this situation will
work collaboratively

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with the administration to make
sure we have

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the resources necessary to deal
with this growing problem.

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The Press: So there's no
information about

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how many officers, judges, and
how this

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will be paid for at this point?

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Mr. Earnest: At
this point, no.

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But again, in terms of
paying

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for it, we would want to work
with members of Congress

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to make sure that the necessary
resources are available

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to deal with a problem
they admit exists.

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The Press: Just quickly on -- there

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was lots of excitement today
about the IRS.

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And I'm wondering whether
the White House

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would consider naming an
independent prosecutor,

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some kind of independent
person to clear

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the air over that?

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And if not, why not?

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Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
that many Republicans

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in Congress at least,
particularly

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in the House have demonstrated a
pretty aggressive appetite

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for investigating this issue.

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You've seen extensive
cooperation

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by the Internal Revenue Service
and members

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of the Obama administration with
that investigation.

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There have been 750,000
pages of documents

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that have provided; 64,000
different emails

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from one specific IRS employee.

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So our willingness to
cooperate

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with this investigate is evident
from the numbers.

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The thing that is also
true is that there

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have been a large number of
claims and conspiracy

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theories that have been
floated about

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this process by Republicans that

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just have not panned out, frankly.

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And we've demonstrated our
willingness to collaborate

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with them with
legitimate oversight.

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We'll continue to
cooperate,

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and that's why you've -- that's
why there's

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been the testimony that you've
seen today because there

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are senior Obama administration
officials that

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are going up there and answering
all of these questions;

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again, some of which are rooted
in the kinds

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of conspiracy theories that
don't have any truth to them.

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The Press: So wouldn't
it help just having

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an independent person
come in and look at it?

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I mean if you're saying
that what they're doing

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is political, wouldn't
it help

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to have an independent
person look at it?

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Mr. Earnest: No, because I
think even

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the politically motivated
investigation

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has not turned up any facts that
support the conspiracy theories

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00:10:57,767 --> 00:10:59,467
that they've propounded.

254
00:10:59,467 --> 00:11:01,433
The fact of the matter
is after 13 months

255
00:11:01,433 --> 00:11:03,033
of multiple congressional
investigations,

256
00:11:03,033 --> 00:11:06,066
including 14 congressional
hearings, 30 interviews

257
00:11:06,066 --> 00:11:09,233
with IRS employees, 50 written
congressional requests,

258
00:11:09,233 --> 00:11:12,300
and as I mentioned 750,000
pages of documents,

259
00:11:12,300 --> 00:11:15,099
there is zero evidence to
support Republican claims.

260
00:11:15,100 --> 00:11:17,734
And that's even -- again,

261
00:11:17,734 --> 00:11:20,567
these are investigations that have

262
00:11:20,567 --> 00:11:22,800
a pretty transparent political motive.

263
00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:25,333
So I'm not sure that
there's a whole

264
00:11:25,333 --> 00:11:27,666
lot more to be discovered here.

265
00:11:27,667 --> 00:11:30,000
I guess the other thing I
would point

266
00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:32,233
out is that there has been an
independent

267
00:11:32,233 --> 00:11:34,400
inspector general investigation
that's

268
00:11:34,400 --> 00:11:37,165
also been conducted here.

269
00:11:37,166 --> 00:11:38,300
And according to his
testimony,

270
00:11:38,300 --> 00:11:40,433
he also found no evidence that
anyone outside

271
00:11:40,433 --> 00:11:42,667
of the IRS had any involvement
in the inappropriate

272
00:11:42,667 --> 00:11:44,633
targeting of conservative groups

273
00:11:44,633 --> 00:11:46,333
who applied for tax-exempt status.

274
00:11:46,333 --> 00:11:49,165
So we've cooperated
extensively with

275
00:11:49,166 --> 00:11:50,967
a large number of congressional
hearings,

276
00:11:50,967 --> 00:11:53,367
many of which were politically
motivated.

277
00:11:53,367 --> 00:11:55,934
We've cooperated with an
independent inspector

278
00:11:55,934 --> 00:11:59,300
general investigation, who
did not find

279
00:11:59,300 --> 00:12:01,800
any evidence that supports
Republican claims.

280
00:12:02,867 --> 00:12:07,000
I think frankly we'd
prefer that Republicans

281
00:12:07,000 --> 00:12:08,767
would devote this kind of
attention and energy

282
00:12:08,767 --> 00:12:11,600
to policies that are actually
going to create jobs,

283
00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,967
as opposed to partisan
fishing expeditions.

284
00:12:15,333 --> 00:12:16,533
So let's move around the
room just

285
00:12:16,533 --> 00:12:16,867
a little bit.

286
00:12:16,867 --> 00:12:17,666
Justin.

287
00:12:17,667 --> 00:12:19,200
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

288
00:12:19,200 --> 00:12:21,200
I was wondering if I could
get your reaction

289
00:12:21,200 --> 00:12:23,667
to the Republican leadership
yesterday.

290
00:12:23,667 --> 00:12:26,600
And specifically kind of
what your guys'

291
00:12:26,600 --> 00:12:29,000
opinion on Kevin McCarthy is in
the building,

292
00:12:29,000 --> 00:12:32,166
and how you think you're going
to work with him kind

293
00:12:32,166 --> 00:12:33,333
of moving forward?

294
00:12:36,133 --> 00:12:37,567
Mr. Earnest: Well, I would
certainly first begin

295
00:12:37,567 --> 00:12:39,567
by congratulating
Mr. McCarthy

296
00:12:39,567 --> 00:12:43,333
and Mr. Scalise for their
successful elections.

297
00:12:43,333 --> 00:12:48,666
They were voted into their
leadership positions

298
00:12:48,667 --> 00:12:53,734
by their peers in the
Republican Congress.

299
00:12:53,734 --> 00:12:57,700
And as the elected leaders
of one party

300
00:12:57,700 --> 00:13:00,433
and one house of Congress, the
administration

301
00:13:00,433 --> 00:13:03,200
will seek to work with them to
try to find common ground.

302
00:13:03,967 --> 00:13:05,400
There's no doubt they
haven't papered

303
00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:06,400
over the differences.

304
00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:08,699
I won't either in terms of
our policy views

305
00:13:08,700 --> 00:13:10,300
and what we think is in the best
interest

306
00:13:10,300 --> 00:13:11,400
of the country moving forward.

307
00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:13,066
There are plenty
of differences.

308
00:13:13,066 --> 00:13:15,066
What we hope we can focus
on are those areas

309
00:13:15,066 --> 00:13:17,533
of common ground, and we'll
see whether

310
00:13:17,533 --> 00:13:19,100
or not they are -- they're
willing to do that.

311
00:13:19,100 --> 00:13:21,667
If there is a willingness
by those members

312
00:13:21,667 --> 00:13:24,266
of the Republican leadership to
try to find common ground

313
00:13:24,266 --> 00:13:26,333
with the administration on
a range of policies

314
00:13:26,333 --> 00:13:30,400
that would better support
middle-class families

315
00:13:30,400 --> 00:13:32,632
all across the country,
they'll find willing

316
00:13:32,633 --> 00:13:34,300
partners on this end of
Pennsylvania Avenue.

317
00:13:34,300 --> 00:13:36,834
The Press: Valerie Jarrett
earlier this morning

318
00:13:36,834 --> 00:13:40,099
suggested that McCarthy's
election kind of opened

319
00:13:40,100 --> 00:13:42,533
a window of opportunity for
immigration reform

320
00:13:42,533 --> 00:13:43,967
to happen this summer.

321
00:13:43,967 --> 00:13:46,333
So I'm wondering, both, if
you guys have reached

322
00:13:46,333 --> 00:13:48,266
out to him in any way, or had
discussions

323
00:13:48,266 --> 00:13:50,766
with him about pursuing
immigration reform this summer?

324
00:13:51,333 --> 00:13:54,333
And secondly, conventional
wisdom of course

325
00:13:54,333 --> 00:13:55,867
is that Eric Cantor's defeat

326
00:13:55,867 --> 00:13:58,900
would make Republicans skittish in Congress.

327
00:13:58,900 --> 00:14:01,699
And so why do you feel
like that's --

328
00:14:01,700 --> 00:14:04,567
in fact, the opposite is true?

329
00:14:05,300 --> 00:14:06,967
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
have any specific

330
00:14:06,967 --> 00:14:09,400
phone calls or meetings with
Mr. McCarthy

331
00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:11,667
to read out to you at this point.

332
00:14:11,667 --> 00:14:14,367
I've expressed my own
bemusement about

333
00:14:14,367 --> 00:14:16,666
the political analysis that
has reached

334
00:14:16,667 --> 00:14:20,900
the conclusion that a candidate
for office

335
00:14:20,900 --> 00:14:25,699
who was strongly opposed to
immigration reform was somehow

336
00:14:25,700 --> 00:14:28,700
the key to the passage of
immigration reform, right?

337
00:14:28,700 --> 00:14:30,700
I think as I mentioned
earlier,

338
00:14:30,700 --> 00:14:31,700
I just moved to Virginia.

339
00:14:31,700 --> 00:14:33,133
I didn't move into the 7th
Congressional District,

340
00:14:33,133 --> 00:14:36,567
but I saw a lot of those
mailers that Mr. Cantor's

341
00:14:36,567 --> 00:14:39,133
campaign distributed, and
he made pretty clear

342
00:14:39,133 --> 00:14:40,600
that he was opposed to
immigration reform.

343
00:14:40,600 --> 00:14:43,900
I'm not sure why there is
this notion that

344
00:14:43,900 --> 00:14:46,467
if he had been elected that
it's more likely that

345
00:14:46,467 --> 00:14:47,667
immigration reform
would have passed.

346
00:14:47,667 --> 00:14:49,200
He was promising to do
everything

347
00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:50,033
he could to block it.

348
00:14:50,367 --> 00:14:54,065
Now, that's unfortunate,
and I think

349
00:14:54,066 --> 00:14:56,633
it is an open question whether
or not the prospects

350
00:14:56,633 --> 00:14:59,333
for immigration reform's
passage are enhanced

351
00:14:59,333 --> 00:15:04,132
by Mr. McCarthy's ascension
to a higher position

352
00:15:04,133 --> 00:15:05,500
in the Republican leadership.

353
00:15:05,500 --> 00:15:09,500
I know that there are many
in Mr. McCarthy's district

354
00:15:09,500 --> 00:15:11,967
in California that are
strongly supportive

355
00:15:11,967 --> 00:15:14,934
of comprehensive
immigration reform.

356
00:15:14,934 --> 00:15:17,100
That's not
actually unique.

357
00:15:17,100 --> 00:15:18,900
There are a lot of people
all across the country

358
00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:21,667
for a wide range of reasons
in both parties

359
00:15:21,667 --> 00:15:23,834
who are strongly in favor of
comprehensive immigration

360
00:15:23,834 --> 00:15:26,032
reform; along the lines of
the compromise

361
00:15:26,033 --> 00:15:27,500
that was passed in bipartisan
fashion

362
00:15:27,500 --> 00:15:29,033
in the Senate last year.

363
00:15:29,033 --> 00:15:32,133
So there are plenty of
good economic reasons

364
00:15:32,133 --> 00:15:33,533
to support immigration
reform.

365
00:15:33,533 --> 00:15:36,800
There's -- I think as
the Congressional Budget

366
00:15:36,800 --> 00:15:38,199
Office has found that
there are hundreds

367
00:15:38,200 --> 00:15:40,433
of billions of dollars in
deficit reduction

368
00:15:40,433 --> 00:15:42,766
over the next couple of decades
that would be enjoyed

369
00:15:42,767 --> 00:15:44,834
by this country if
immigration reform

370
00:15:44,834 --> 00:15:45,834
were to pass.

371
00:15:45,834 --> 00:15:49,733
But again, this will have
to be a decision

372
00:15:49,734 --> 00:15:52,333
that Mr. McCarthy makes as he
gets settled

373
00:15:52,333 --> 00:15:55,433
into what presumably is a fancy
new office in the Capitol.

374
00:15:55,834 --> 00:15:57,300
All right, Jim.

375
00:15:57,633 --> 00:15:59,166
The Press: Back on the
unaccompanied minors,

376
00:15:59,166 --> 00:16:00,600
if you could talk
about this a moment.

377
00:16:00,800 --> 00:16:01,132
Mr. Earnest: Sure.

378
00:16:01,367 --> 00:16:02,632
The Press: I know the
Vice President is down

379
00:16:02,633 --> 00:16:06,633
in Central America today, and
the White House

380
00:16:06,633 --> 00:16:09,000
has been adamant that White
House policies,

381
00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:12,166
the DREAM Act and also
comprehensive immigration reform

382
00:16:12,166 --> 00:16:15,333
are not the reasons why people
are crossing the border.

383
00:16:15,333 --> 00:16:17,834
But, in fact -- and in
fact, that may be true.

384
00:16:17,834 --> 00:16:19,233
What we're hearing is that
they're coming

385
00:16:19,233 --> 00:16:21,900
here not because of that, but
because they realize

386
00:16:21,900 --> 00:16:24,967
that once they get here --
moms with kids,

387
00:16:24,967 --> 00:16:27,667
and kids themselves -- that the
bureaucratic system

388
00:16:27,667 --> 00:16:30,800
in this country allows them
to stay in many cases.

389
00:16:30,800 --> 00:16:32,632
And we can't get answers
from

390
00:16:32,633 --> 00:16:34,967
this administration about the numbers.

391
00:16:34,967 --> 00:16:37,400
We've asked repeatedly how
many people

392
00:16:37,400 --> 00:16:41,600
who are given these promises to
appear notices,

393
00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,934
these are the mothers who get
promises to appear notices,

394
00:16:44,934 --> 00:16:47,333
and then are allowed to go
stay with relatives

395
00:16:47,333 --> 00:16:50,100
and go to -- and promise to go
to court --

396
00:16:50,100 --> 00:16:52,633
how many of them are actually
going to court versus

397
00:16:52,633 --> 00:16:56,433
how many are disappearing into
the fabric of the country?

398
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:58,632
And a related question to
that is, how many

399
00:16:58,633 --> 00:17:02,500
of the unaccompanied minors are
then released

400
00:17:02,500 --> 00:17:04,767
to foster homes or their
relatives in this country

401
00:17:04,767 --> 00:17:06,165
and, in fact, are allowed to stay?

402
00:17:06,165 --> 00:17:08,433
Isn't that the real reason
they're coming across?

403
00:17:08,433 --> 00:17:09,633
And why won't the administration

404
00:17:09,633 --> 00:17:10,734
answer those questions?

405
00:17:11,200 --> 00:17:13,467
Mr. Earnest: Well, Jim,
I do want to take

406
00:17:13,467 --> 00:17:14,967
this opportunity to make
something really

407
00:17:14,967 --> 00:17:17,233
clear first of all that so much
of what we're

408
00:17:17,233 --> 00:17:23,165
seeing on the southern border is
the result of a deliberate,

409
00:17:23,165 --> 00:17:26,332
misinformation campaign
that is propagated

410
00:17:26,333 --> 00:17:30,433
by criminal syndicates
in Central America.

411
00:17:30,433 --> 00:17:33,767
That misinformation is
causing some people

412
00:17:33,767 --> 00:17:36,567
who are in a rather desperate
situation

413
00:17:36,567 --> 00:17:40,133
to risk their lives to come to
the United States border

414
00:17:40,133 --> 00:17:41,300
expecting that they'll
be able

415
00:17:41,300 --> 00:17:42,800
to stay in this country.

416
00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:45,166
That is simply not true.

417
00:17:45,166 --> 00:17:49,700
And it is important for
people all across

418
00:17:49,700 --> 00:17:52,734
this country and for people in
Mexico

419
00:17:52,734 --> 00:17:55,567
and Central America to
understand what the facts are.

420
00:17:56,767 --> 00:17:57,867
And the reason for
that is simple.

421
00:17:57,867 --> 00:17:58,867
What we're seeing
there

422
00:17:58,867 --> 00:18:01,734
is a very serious humanitarian situation.

423
00:18:01,734 --> 00:18:04,265
It is one that is the
source of significant

424
00:18:04,266 --> 00:18:05,333
concern to the President.

425
00:18:05,333 --> 00:18:09,700
And so his administration
is trying to deploy

426
00:18:09,700 --> 00:18:11,266
a lot of resources to
deal with this.

427
00:18:11,767 --> 00:18:14,734
And that's manifested
itself in a number

428
00:18:14,734 --> 00:18:15,734
of different ways.

429
00:18:15,734 --> 00:18:17,300
You saw that we put a
readout just yesterday

430
00:18:17,300 --> 00:18:19,300
of the President's phone call
with President Peña Nieto

431
00:18:19,300 --> 00:18:22,734
of Mexico in which they
discussed this situation.

432
00:18:22,734 --> 00:18:24,199
The Vice President, as you
mentioned, is traveling

433
00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:25,433
in Central America, where
he's meeting

434
00:18:25,433 --> 00:18:29,900
with leaders of El Salvador and
Guatemala,

435
00:18:29,900 --> 00:18:31,600
as well as senior government
representatives

436
00:18:31,600 --> 00:18:33,734
from Honduras and Mexico.

437
00:18:33,734 --> 00:18:36,166
The State Department and
DHS officials

438
00:18:36,166 --> 00:18:38,633
have been engaged with their
colleagues and their

439
00:18:38,633 --> 00:18:41,467
counterparts in countries
throughout

440
00:18:41,467 --> 00:18:43,934
the hemisphere to talk about this issue.

441
00:18:43,934 --> 00:18:46,700
And what we're trying to
do is to address

442
00:18:46,700 --> 00:18:49,200
this problem in two ways.

443
00:18:49,200 --> 00:18:51,367
The first is to address
the needs of those

444
00:18:51,367 --> 00:18:52,767
who have been apprehended
on the border.

445
00:18:52,767 --> 00:18:56,800
So I was mentioning to
Roberta that DHS announced

446
00:18:56,800 --> 00:18:57,934
earlier today that we're
going to open

447
00:18:57,934 --> 00:19:00,899
up some additional detention
facilities that

448
00:19:00,900 --> 00:19:02,867
can accommodate adults who
show

449
00:19:02,867 --> 00:19:05,200
up on the border with their children.

450
00:19:05,200 --> 00:19:07,500
And we're going to deploy
some resources to work

451
00:19:07,500 --> 00:19:09,200
through their immigration
cases more quickly,

452
00:19:09,200 --> 00:19:12,233
so that they're not held in
that detention facility

453
00:19:12,233 --> 00:19:14,633
for a long time and can,
hopefully,

454
00:19:14,633 --> 00:19:16,633
be quickly returned to their
home country.

455
00:19:17,433 --> 00:19:20,033
What we're also doing is
working in collaborative

456
00:19:20,033 --> 00:19:22,065
fashion with countries in
Central America

457
00:19:22,066 --> 00:19:24,266
to try to address the problem
at its root.

458
00:19:24,266 --> 00:19:29,567
Some of that is an
information campaign

459
00:19:29,567 --> 00:19:33,834
and countering this
intentional misinformation

460
00:19:33,834 --> 00:19:36,800
campaign that's being
propagated by criminal

461
00:19:36,800 --> 00:19:38,966
syndicates, but also
working through

462
00:19:38,967 --> 00:19:42,600
a range of USAID programs and
the host governments --

463
00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,600
the governments in these
countries --

464
00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:47,433
to try to meet some of the
citizen security needs that

465
00:19:47,433 --> 00:19:49,500
are so acute in these
countries right now.

466
00:19:49,500 --> 00:19:51,233
The Press: I understand
all that, Josh,

467
00:19:51,233 --> 00:19:53,033
but the question is, is it
really

468
00:19:53,033 --> 00:19:54,065
a misinformation campaign?

469
00:19:54,066 --> 00:19:55,066
Mr. Earnest: It is.

470
00:19:55,066 --> 00:19:56,066
It is.

471
00:19:56,066 --> 00:19:58,633
The Press: Here's
why I'm asking, okay.

472
00:19:58,633 --> 00:20:00,500
What is happening now is
that the Border Patrol

473
00:20:00,500 --> 00:20:04,000
is taking those mothers and
kids, putting them

474
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,133
in a bus and taking them to the
bus station

475
00:20:06,133 --> 00:20:07,667
in McAllen, Texas.

476
00:20:07,667 --> 00:20:11,699
And they're buying tickets
to go stay with

477
00:20:11,700 --> 00:20:14,900
relatives in this country with a
promise --

478
00:20:14,900 --> 00:20:17,633
all they have to do is promise
that they will appear in court.

479
00:20:17,633 --> 00:20:20,300
And the administration
will not tell us how many

480
00:20:20,300 --> 00:20:22,133
of those we're promising
to go to court

481
00:20:22,133 --> 00:20:24,033
are really going to court, and
are going into

482
00:20:24,033 --> 00:20:26,367
the system or are actually disappearing

483
00:20:26,367 --> 00:20:28,466
into the fabric of American society.

484
00:20:28,467 --> 00:20:31,066
That's what the coyotes
are telling people,

485
00:20:31,066 --> 00:20:33,500
is that the bureaucracy in
this country

486
00:20:33,500 --> 00:20:34,867
is allowing them to stay.

487
00:20:34,867 --> 00:20:37,133
Mr. Earnest: Well, I'll
say a couple

488
00:20:37,133 --> 00:20:38,133
of things about that.

489
00:20:38,133 --> 00:20:41,133
It's hard for me to make
a blanket statement

490
00:20:41,133 --> 00:20:46,133
about our immigration policy
other than this

491
00:20:46,133 --> 00:20:47,700
administration's
commitment

492
00:20:47,700 --> 00:20:49,300
to enforcing the law.

493
00:20:49,300 --> 00:20:50,934
And the law is very clear
about this,

494
00:20:50,934 --> 00:20:54,633
that those individuals who want
to show up on the border --

495
00:20:54,633 --> 00:20:55,834
whether they have their
children with them

496
00:20:55,834 --> 00:20:58,567
or not -- are not eligible for
the deferred action

497
00:20:58,567 --> 00:21:00,633
that the administration
announced

498
00:21:00,633 --> 00:21:01,633
a year or two ago.

499
00:21:02,600 --> 00:21:04,867
And what we are doing
is we are mobilizing

500
00:21:04,867 --> 00:21:07,633
additional resources to
try to deal with

501
00:21:07,633 --> 00:21:09,633
this problem more effectively

502
00:21:09,633 --> 00:21:11,333
and in a more humanitarian fashion.

503
00:21:11,333 --> 00:21:12,033
And in this case --

504
00:21:12,233 --> 00:21:13,834
The Press: Why won't
you just tell us the

505
00:21:13,834 --> 00:21:16,300
percentage of those who
are promising to appear,

506
00:21:16,300 --> 00:21:18,133
are they appearing or not?

507
00:21:18,133 --> 00:21:20,900
And are the unaccompanied
minors who are then given

508
00:21:20,900 --> 00:21:22,934
to foster homes or allowed
to stay with their

509
00:21:22,934 --> 00:21:25,000
families in this country
while waiting

510
00:21:25,000 --> 00:21:26,867
for a court appearance, how many
of those

511
00:21:26,867 --> 00:21:28,466
are actually showing up?

512
00:21:28,467 --> 00:21:29,467
Why won't the
administration

513
00:21:29,467 --> 00:21:30,467
tell us those numbers?

514
00:21:30,467 --> 00:21:31,900
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
those numbers here, Jim.

515
00:21:31,900 --> 00:21:35,834
But what I do have is a
clear commitment

516
00:21:35,834 --> 00:21:37,867
from this administration to deal
with what

517
00:21:37,867 --> 00:21:39,966
is an emerging humanitarian situation.

518
00:21:39,967 --> 00:21:41,767
And it's important for
your viewers

519
00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:44,800
to understand and it's important
for viewers or those

520
00:21:44,800 --> 00:21:47,000
consumers of information in
Central America

521
00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,633
to understand that showing up at
the border illegally

522
00:21:51,633 --> 00:21:53,533
is not a ticket into this country.

523
00:21:53,533 --> 00:21:56,100
One of the reasons that
the President

524
00:21:56,100 --> 00:21:58,500
is a strong and powerful
advocate of the kind

525
00:21:58,500 --> 00:22:01,567
of commonsense immigration
reform that I was discussing

526
00:22:01,567 --> 00:22:04,066
in response to an earlier
question is that it would

527
00:22:04,066 --> 00:22:06,533
streamline our legal
immigration process.

528
00:22:06,533 --> 00:22:12,100
For a variety of reasons
-- some of them economic,

529
00:22:12,100 --> 00:22:14,367
some of them humanitarian
-- there should

530
00:22:14,367 --> 00:22:18,300
be strong support for
streamlining this process.

531
00:22:18,300 --> 00:22:19,934
Democrats and Republicans
have both

532
00:22:19,934 --> 00:22:22,800
acknowledged that the legal
immigration process

533
00:22:22,800 --> 00:22:25,899
is not as efficient as it could be.

534
00:22:25,900 --> 00:22:29,300
And better resources
devoted to that

535
00:22:29,300 --> 00:22:31,800
system could mitigate some of
this problem,

536
00:22:31,800 --> 00:22:34,265
but it does not change the fact
that

537
00:22:34,266 --> 00:22:40,266
it is not a good idea for people
to make the trek through Mexico

538
00:22:43,600 --> 00:22:45,132
and to appear at the southern
border

539
00:22:45,133 --> 00:22:47,433
in the Rio Grande Valley of the
United States and think

540
00:22:47,433 --> 00:22:51,166
that once they are detained by
customs

541
00:22:51,166 --> 00:22:54,100
or Border Patrol personnel, that
they will be allowed

542
00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:55,166
into the country.

543
00:22:55,166 --> 00:22:55,899
They will not.

544
00:22:56,233 --> 00:22:57,332
Mr. Acosta.

545
00:22:59,166 --> 00:23:00,533
The Press: Yes,
Josh, back to Russia.

546
00:23:00,533 --> 00:23:03,065
Earlier this morning on
that conference call

547
00:23:03,066 --> 00:23:07,133
with senior administration
officials, they described

548
00:23:07,133 --> 00:23:09,967
that potential sanctions
that could be imposed

549
00:23:09,967 --> 00:23:13,333
on Russia next might not
be sectoral,

550
00:23:13,333 --> 00:23:17,500
but rather something more along
the lines of a scalpel

551
00:23:17,500 --> 00:23:19,967
is the way it was described
during

552
00:23:19,967 --> 00:23:21,300
that conference call.

553
00:23:21,300 --> 00:23:23,533
That sounds like less
than sectoral, obviously.

554
00:23:23,533 --> 00:23:25,500
And does that mean that
the administration

555
00:23:25,500 --> 00:23:27,333
is now backing away from that
threat

556
00:23:27,333 --> 00:23:28,333
of sectoral sanctions?

557
00:23:28,333 --> 00:23:30,367
Mr. Earnest: No, sectoral
sanctions remain

558
00:23:30,367 --> 00:23:31,367
on the table.

559
00:23:31,367 --> 00:23:34,834
And, again, this is
something that the

560
00:23:34,834 --> 00:23:37,867
administration is working
in cooperative

561
00:23:37,867 --> 00:23:41,533
fashion with our partners and
allies in Europe

562
00:23:41,533 --> 00:23:45,934
to present a united front,
that the more that

563
00:23:45,934 --> 00:23:50,133
Russia plays a destabilizing
role in Ukraine,

564
00:23:50,133 --> 00:23:51,533
the more isolated from the
international

565
00:23:51,533 --> 00:23:52,734
community they will become.

566
00:23:52,734 --> 00:23:58,966
We've already seen that
the sanctions that have

567
00:23:58,967 --> 00:24:01,867
been put in place so far
in a cooperative fashion,

568
00:24:01,867 --> 00:24:04,700
again, with our allies in
Europe, has had an impact

569
00:24:04,700 --> 00:24:06,734
on the Russian economy and
has had an impact

570
00:24:06,734 --> 00:24:08,899
in terms of isolating them

571
00:24:08,900 --> 00:24:10,934
in the international financial markets.

572
00:24:11,266 --> 00:24:12,200
The Press: They don't seem
to be deterring

573
00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:13,066
their behavior though.

574
00:24:13,066 --> 00:24:14,200
Is that fair to say?

575
00:24:14,500 --> 00:24:19,967
Mr. Earnest: No, I'm not
sure that that's

576
00:24:19,967 --> 00:24:20,867
a fair thing to say.

577
00:24:20,867 --> 00:24:25,332
I think we're seeing a
lot of mixed signals

578
00:24:25,333 --> 00:24:29,500
from Russia right now about
what their intentions are.

579
00:24:29,500 --> 00:24:31,600
And I think that is
evidenced

580
00:24:31,600 --> 00:24:35,300
by the fact that we've seen some
troop movements on the border,

581
00:24:35,300 --> 00:24:36,466
some away from the border
and some

582
00:24:36,467 --> 00:24:37,867
are toward the border.

583
00:24:37,867 --> 00:24:40,100
And in those situations
where Russia

584
00:24:40,100 --> 00:24:42,000
has made the decision to
withdraw their troops,

585
00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:43,967
we welcomed the evidence of that.

586
00:24:43,967 --> 00:24:46,333
But we're concerned about
this latest evidence

587
00:24:46,333 --> 00:24:48,367
that indicates that additional
troops are being

588
00:24:48,367 --> 00:24:51,399
deployed to the border under the
auspices

589
00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:56,066
of a border security policy or
exercise that does

590
00:24:56,066 --> 00:24:57,100
not seem to be underway.

591
00:24:57,400 --> 00:25:01,800
So what the President will
continue to do is to work

592
00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:04,533
with our partners in
Europe that will

593
00:25:04,533 --> 00:25:06,533
maximize the impact of any
sanctions

594
00:25:06,533 --> 00:25:08,466
that are implemented.

595
00:25:08,467 --> 00:25:09,467
And what we're going to
do is we're going

596
00:25:09,467 --> 00:25:10,967
to give Russia the opportunity
to pursue

597
00:25:10,967 --> 00:25:13,834
a policy of de-escalation, to
play a constructive role

598
00:25:13,834 --> 00:25:16,166
in bringing some stability to
the situation in Ukraine.

599
00:25:16,467 --> 00:25:20,300
The Press: And on Iraq,
yesterday

600
00:25:20,300 --> 00:25:25,567
Senator Chris Murphy said that
if more than 300 assets

601
00:25:25,567 --> 00:25:27,367
on the ground are deployed
to Iraq

602
00:25:27,367 --> 00:25:30,000
that the administration would
need to go through

603
00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:31,834
Congress for authorization.

604
00:25:31,834 --> 00:25:33,700
Is the President
okay with that?

605
00:25:33,700 --> 00:25:35,266
Mr. Earnest: Well, what
this President

606
00:25:35,266 --> 00:25:37,100
has said, and I think that there
is pretty widespread

607
00:25:37,100 --> 00:25:39,567
agreement about this,
maybe even ostensibly

608
00:25:39,567 --> 00:25:41,767
from Mr. Murphy, is that the
actions that

609
00:25:41,767 --> 00:25:44,233
the President has taken so far
do not require

610
00:25:44,233 --> 00:25:45,466
additional congressional
authorization.

611
00:25:45,467 --> 00:25:47,867
But you have seen a
demonstrated commitment

612
00:25:47,867 --> 00:25:49,133
from this administration
to continue

613
00:25:49,133 --> 00:25:50,467
to consult with Congress.

614
00:25:51,066 --> 00:25:53,066
The President hosted a
consultation meeting

615
00:25:53,066 --> 00:25:54,200
with the four leaders of
Congress

616
00:25:54,200 --> 00:25:56,166
in the Oval Office earlier this week.

617
00:25:56,166 --> 00:25:59,265
Over the weekend, as
administration officials

618
00:25:59,266 --> 00:26:02,133
were assessing the
situation in Iraq,

619
00:26:02,133 --> 00:26:03,667
there were a number of phone
calls from senior

620
00:26:03,667 --> 00:26:05,833
members of the President's
national security

621
00:26:05,834 --> 00:26:09,033
team to leaders in Congress
--

622
00:26:09,033 --> 00:26:11,500
both those in the congressional
leadership, but also those

623
00:26:11,500 --> 00:26:13,767
who are the leaders of relevant
committees.

624
00:26:13,767 --> 00:26:15,467
So that congressional

625
00:26:15,467 --> 00:26:17,700
consultation will continue.

626
00:26:17,700 --> 00:26:21,633
And we certainly welcome
the interest

627
00:26:21,633 --> 00:26:24,100
and the support of the American
policy in Iraq.

628
00:26:24,100 --> 00:26:25,833
The Press: But when you
heard the Senate Majority

629
00:26:25,834 --> 00:26:27,266
Leader say he doesn't
want to see any

630
00:26:27,266 --> 00:26:31,100
U.S. forces returning to Iraq,
it must have dawned

631
00:26:31,100 --> 00:26:35,100
on all of you here that there's
a real reluctance

632
00:26:35,100 --> 00:26:38,300
inside the Democratic Party when
it comes

633
00:26:38,300 --> 00:26:40,867
to getting re-engaged in Iraq.

634
00:26:40,867 --> 00:26:44,433
That's where it goes
without saying.

635
00:26:44,433 --> 00:26:45,567
How do you deal with that?

636
00:26:45,834 --> 00:26:47,200
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
there's --

637
00:26:47,200 --> 00:26:52,433
that any time that you're
talking about the risks

638
00:26:52,433 --> 00:26:56,667
to our security that are posed
by Iraq, that the memory

639
00:26:56,667 --> 00:26:59,766
of the Iraq war is fresh in the
mind of everybody

640
00:26:59,767 --> 00:27:05,066
in this country, that this
country made great

641
00:27:05,066 --> 00:27:08,800
sacrifices in pursuit of trying
to create an opportunity

642
00:27:08,800 --> 00:27:12,899
for the Iraqi people to enjoy
democracy

643
00:27:12,900 --> 00:27:15,934
and determine the future of
their own country.

644
00:27:15,934 --> 00:27:17,667
But the fact of the matter
is that there are some

645
00:27:17,667 --> 00:27:19,065
Americans -- some very
brave Americans

646
00:27:19,066 --> 00:27:20,667
who served in our military --
who sacrificed

647
00:27:20,667 --> 00:27:22,433
even more than others.

648
00:27:22,433 --> 00:27:25,467
That is fresh in the mind
of every policymaker,

649
00:27:25,467 --> 00:27:26,633
in the same way that I think
it's fresh

650
00:27:26,633 --> 00:27:27,667
in the mind of every American.

651
00:27:28,300 --> 00:27:29,966
That said, I think the
President was pretty

652
00:27:29,967 --> 00:27:32,266
clear when he spoke here
yesterday about

653
00:27:32,266 --> 00:27:33,667
what exactly our
priorities are.

654
00:27:33,667 --> 00:27:36,233
If you'll indulge me for a
minute,

655
00:27:36,233 --> 00:27:37,265
let me just repeat them.

656
00:27:37,266 --> 00:27:39,066
The first is that our top
priority

657
00:27:39,066 --> 00:27:40,166
is the safety of U.S. personnel

658
00:27:40,166 --> 00:27:41,700
that
currently is in Iraq.

659
00:27:41,700 --> 00:27:43,767
And that's why you saw a
movement over

660
00:27:43,767 --> 00:27:46,700
the weekend to deploy some
additional security resources

661
00:27:46,700 --> 00:27:48,567
to safeguard the embassy.

662
00:27:48,567 --> 00:27:51,400
There's been an increase
of intelligence

663
00:27:51,400 --> 00:27:53,300
resources in the region.

664
00:27:53,300 --> 00:27:54,867
There is now
around-the-clock

665
00:27:54,867 --> 00:27:57,332
visibility in Iraq, with
particular attention

666
00:27:57,333 --> 00:28:00,734
to those areas where
ISIL is operating.

667
00:28:00,734 --> 00:28:05,100
There has also been an
increased support

668
00:28:05,100 --> 00:28:06,966
for Iraqi security forces.

669
00:28:06,967 --> 00:28:08,900
There has been an enduring
military-to-military

670
00:28:08,900 --> 00:28:12,100
relationship between the
United States and Iraq.

671
00:28:12,100 --> 00:28:14,000
And we're going to ramp
up that support

672
00:28:14,000 --> 00:28:17,200
through training, through the
provision of equipment

673
00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,700
and in other ways; and in the
context of advisers

674
00:28:20,700 --> 00:28:22,266
that the President talked
about yesterday.

675
00:28:22,266 --> 00:28:24,400
The President has also
ordered

676
00:28:24,400 --> 00:28:26,200
the prepositioning of some military assets.

677
00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:28,467
There have been some
announcements

678
00:28:28,467 --> 00:28:30,767
from the Department of Defense
about where those assets

679
00:28:30,767 --> 00:28:33,000
are located and what
role they could

680
00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:34,633
play if necessary.

681
00:28:34,633 --> 00:28:35,900
And finally, there
has been

682
00:28:35,900 --> 00:28:37,467
a stepped up diplomatic engagement.

683
00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:39,333
You all have been on the
receiving end

684
00:28:39,333 --> 00:28:42,133
of a number of readouts of phone
calls between the Vice President

685
00:28:42,133 --> 00:28:44,300
and Prime Minister Maliki.

686
00:28:44,300 --> 00:28:46,233
And it was reported
yesterday I think --

687
00:28:46,233 --> 00:28:47,533
well, the President announced
yesterday

688
00:28:47,533 --> 00:28:50,033
that Secretary Kerry would be
traveling to the region this

689
00:28:50,033 --> 00:28:52,600
weekend to meet with his
counterparts in the

690
00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,132
region, all of whom have
a vested interest

691
00:28:54,133 --> 00:28:56,133
in the same way the United
States does

692
00:28:56,133 --> 00:28:58,233
in a stabilized security
situation in Iraq.

693
00:28:58,233 --> 00:28:59,667
The Press: And yesterday
-- just to wrap this

694
00:28:59,667 --> 00:29:01,734
up, yesterday one of the
senior administration

695
00:29:01,734 --> 00:29:02,766
officials on that
conference

696
00:29:02,767 --> 00:29:05,200
call following the President's
statement did not rule

697
00:29:05,200 --> 00:29:09,166
out air strikes on ISIS targets
or ISIL targets in Syria.

698
00:29:09,166 --> 00:29:12,533
That was on a conference
call on background,

699
00:29:12,533 --> 00:29:15,734
and so forth, so can we just get
you on camera about this?

700
00:29:15,734 --> 00:29:16,867
Is that a possibility?

701
00:29:16,867 --> 00:29:19,200
Mr. Earnest: Well, let
me tell you about

702
00:29:19,200 --> 00:29:20,633
the President's resolve.

703
00:29:20,633 --> 00:29:22,433
The President is resolved
to take the action

704
00:29:22,433 --> 00:29:25,100
that's necessary to protect the
United States of America,

705
00:29:25,100 --> 00:29:27,600
the homeland, certainly
our American

706
00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:29,533
men and women who are serving in
uniform,

707
00:29:29,533 --> 00:29:30,734
and our allies around the globe.

708
00:29:30,734 --> 00:29:33,466
The President has
demonstrated a willingness

709
00:29:33,467 --> 00:29:35,500
to go into other countries
where necessary

710
00:29:35,500 --> 00:29:40,266
to protect our national and
homeland security.

711
00:29:41,467 --> 00:29:44,233
You guys often report
about actions that

712
00:29:44,233 --> 00:29:49,934
are taken in Yemen to
neutralize those groups

713
00:29:49,934 --> 00:29:51,633
or individuals that are
seeking to do harm

714
00:29:51,633 --> 00:29:52,633
to the United States.

715
00:29:52,967 --> 00:29:54,567
The Press: Is
congressional

716
00:29:54,567 --> 00:29:55,266
authorization
needed though?

717
00:29:55,433 --> 00:29:58,533
Mr. Earnest: There are
similar actions that

718
00:29:58,533 --> 00:30:01,065
are taken in Somalia under
similar circumstances.

719
00:30:01,066 --> 00:30:03,800
And just last weekend, we
saw that the military

720
00:30:03,800 --> 00:30:06,567
and law enforcement action in
Libya to ensure

721
00:30:06,567 --> 00:30:11,367
that one of the perpetrators of
the attack

722
00:30:11,367 --> 00:30:16,166
on the Benghazi diplomatic post
is brought to justice.

723
00:30:16,166 --> 00:30:18,833
So there is a willingness
by this President

724
00:30:18,834 --> 00:30:22,900
that has been determined -- that
has been demonstrated

725
00:30:22,900 --> 00:30:24,834
to act where necessary to
safeguard

726
00:30:24,834 --> 00:30:25,834
the national security.

727
00:30:25,834 --> 00:30:29,200
And that applies in
this situation too.

728
00:30:29,200 --> 00:30:31,033
We'll move around a bit.

729
00:30:31,033 --> 00:30:32,033
JC.

730
00:30:32,033 --> 00:30:33,033
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

731
00:30:33,033 --> 00:30:34,033
And congratulations.

732
00:30:34,033 --> 00:30:35,033
Mr. Earnest: Thank you.

733
00:30:35,033 --> 00:30:36,065
The Press: Is the
President in touch

734
00:30:36,066 --> 00:30:39,266
with his allies -- Great
Britain, France,

735
00:30:39,266 --> 00:30:43,934
Germany -- on a coordinated
response to ISIL in Iraq?

736
00:30:43,934 --> 00:30:45,200
And can you give us
any information

737
00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:47,300
on any conservations that
may have taken place?

738
00:30:47,700 --> 00:30:48,400
Mr. Earnest: I'm not in a
position

739
00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:49,734
to read out any phone calls at this point.

740
00:30:49,734 --> 00:30:56,766
But there is strong
concern about what's

741
00:30:56,767 --> 00:31:01,033
happening in Iraq, both
that we've seen

742
00:31:01,033 --> 00:31:02,867
exhibited by countries in the
region,

743
00:31:02,867 --> 00:31:06,600
those countries that neighbor
Syria and Iraq

744
00:31:06,600 --> 00:31:08,567
are concerned about the rapid progress

745
00:31:08,567 --> 00:31:11,734
that ISIL was able to make there.

746
00:31:11,734 --> 00:31:15,233
There's also concern
that's been

747
00:31:15,233 --> 00:31:18,200
expressed by countries who
worked closely

748
00:31:18,200 --> 00:31:23,200
with the United States over the years

749
00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:25,367
in Iraq to try to, again, stabilize the security

750
00:31:25,367 --> 00:31:27,867
situation, give the Iraqi people
the opportunity

751
00:31:27,867 --> 00:31:28,867
to determine their own future.

752
00:31:29,100 --> 00:31:30,100
So there are a lot of
people

753
00:31:30,100 --> 00:31:31,500
who are concerned about this.

754
00:31:31,500 --> 00:31:32,900
My colleagues at the State
Department,

755
00:31:32,900 --> 00:31:34,834
the Department of Defense and
other places have been

756
00:31:34,834 --> 00:31:37,834
in touch with their counterparts
as we pursue

757
00:31:37,834 --> 00:31:40,533
a coordinated approach to
dealing with the challenges

758
00:31:40,533 --> 00:31:43,667
that are posed by extremists
like ISIL

759
00:31:43,667 --> 00:31:48,500
who are operating too freely in Iraq.

760
00:31:48,533 --> 00:31:49,533
Juliet.

761
00:31:49,533 --> 00:31:51,600
The Press: The President
today signed a memorandum

762
00:31:51,600 --> 00:31:54,833
on the first-ever federal
pollinator initiative.

763
00:31:54,834 --> 00:31:57,300
And Dan Pfieffer has
referred in the past

764
00:31:57,300 --> 00:31:58,934
to how this is a personal
interest

765
00:31:58,934 --> 00:31:59,500
of the President's.

766
00:31:59,500 --> 00:32:02,133
Can you talk a little
about both that initiative

767
00:32:02,133 --> 00:32:03,400
and how it is that the President

768
00:32:03,400 --> 00:32:09,133
got interested in the honey
bee, that crisis?

769
00:32:09,133 --> 00:32:10,400
And butterflies,
monarch butterflies?

770
00:32:10,567 --> 00:32:12,166
Mr. Earnest: And
butterflies.

771
00:32:12,166 --> 00:32:16,066
Well, Juliet, when I
walked out here today,

772
00:32:16,066 --> 00:32:17,033
I knew I was going to be
handling a range

773
00:32:17,033 --> 00:32:17,766
of sensitive issues.

774
00:32:17,767 --> 00:32:19,667
I didn't know I was going
to be talking

775
00:32:19,667 --> 00:32:20,667
about the birds and the bees.

776
00:32:20,667 --> 00:32:23,233
(laughter)

777
00:32:23,233 --> 00:32:25,533
That was
pretty good, right?

778
00:32:25,533 --> 00:32:26,899
I've been thinking about
this one all morning.

779
00:32:26,900 --> 00:32:28,633
Groans, huh.

780
00:32:29,033 --> 00:32:31,433
The Press: Better writers
-- get better writers.

781
00:32:31,433 --> 00:32:32,200
(laughter)

782
00:32:32,533 --> 00:32:33,065
Mr. Earnest: I'll get
these guys

783
00:32:33,066 --> 00:32:33,867
on some better material here.

784
00:32:33,867 --> 00:32:34,767
(laughter)

785
00:32:34,767 --> 00:32:37,533
You think I'd
get a better crowd

786
00:32:37,533 --> 00:32:39,199
on my first day here, but no.

787
00:32:39,200 --> 00:32:42,333
Oh, my last day.

788
00:32:42,333 --> 00:32:43,734
I've got to get my story
straight, don't I --

789
00:32:43,734 --> 00:32:46,265
okay, let's get back to it.

790
00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,867
Despite my lame attempt at
humor, this actually

791
00:32:49,867 --> 00:32:51,867
is a serious issue.

792
00:32:53,834 --> 00:32:55,467
The pollinators, the
so-called pollinators

793
00:32:55,467 --> 00:32:57,467
that are covered by this
Presidential memorandum,

794
00:32:57,467 --> 00:33:00,266
actually have an impact of
about $24 billion

795
00:33:00,266 --> 00:33:03,066
a year on the United
States economy.

796
00:33:03,066 --> 00:33:04,900
And they are vital to
keeping fruits,

797
00:33:04,900 --> 00:33:07,233
nuts and vegetables in our diets.

798
00:33:07,233 --> 00:33:08,600
So over the past few
decades,

799
00:33:08,600 --> 00:33:11,065
we've actually seen a
significant decline

800
00:33:11,066 --> 00:33:13,633
in pollinators from our budget
-- or I'm sorry,

801
00:33:13,633 --> 00:33:16,667
from our environment.

802
00:33:16,667 --> 00:33:20,399
So what the President will
include in his 2015 budget

803
00:33:20,400 --> 00:33:23,800
are some commonsense steps
and strategies that

804
00:33:23,800 --> 00:33:26,233
we can take to try to respond
to this challenge.

805
00:33:26,233 --> 00:33:29,133
So everything from
directing federal

806
00:33:29,133 --> 00:33:31,633
government research and
land management that

807
00:33:31,633 --> 00:33:36,300
would better facilitate a
habitat for pollinators --

808
00:33:36,300 --> 00:33:39,500
we can also work with
states and tribal leaders,

809
00:33:39,500 --> 00:33:40,700
and even private
landowners

810
00:33:40,700 --> 00:33:43,867
in some circumstances, to try to
make sure that

811
00:33:43,867 --> 00:33:47,166
we are protecting the
environments

812
00:33:47,166 --> 00:33:51,433
for pollinator habitats.

813
00:33:53,000 --> 00:33:55,834
And, again, there is a
clear economic

814
00:33:55,834 --> 00:33:59,100
incentive for us to
continue to do so.

815
00:33:59,100 --> 00:34:00,500
And we're going to
continue to work

816
00:34:00,500 --> 00:34:03,800
in collaborative fashion with
industry, with state

817
00:34:03,800 --> 00:34:06,233
and local leaders, with
private landowners

818
00:34:06,233 --> 00:34:07,567
to address this problem.

819
00:34:07,567 --> 00:34:09,065
So thank you for the
question, Juliet.

820
00:34:09,065 --> 00:34:10,132
I appreciate it.

821
00:34:10,132 --> 00:34:11,132
Roger.

822
00:34:11,132 --> 00:34:12,132
The Press: Thank you.

823
00:34:12,132 --> 00:34:13,132
I want to clarify
something.

824
00:34:13,132 --> 00:34:15,699
The White House is opposed
to a special prosecutor,

825
00:34:15,699 --> 00:34:17,500
right, on the
email controversy?

826
00:34:17,734 --> 00:34:19,967
Mr. Earnest: Yes, I think
for the wide range

827
00:34:19,967 --> 00:34:22,066
of reasons that I
recited earlier.

828
00:34:22,065 --> 00:34:24,033
The Press: On the
investigation

829
00:34:24,033 --> 00:34:26,799
of the emails, did the
investigators

830
00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:30,867
or White House Counsel look at
or look for emails

831
00:34:30,867 --> 00:34:34,300
between the White House and the
chief of staff,

832
00:34:34,300 --> 00:34:36,967
or other aides of Lerner's?

833
00:34:37,266 --> 00:34:40,033
Mr. Earnest: Are you
asking about emails

834
00:34:40,033 --> 00:34:41,033
that would have been
exchanged --

835
00:34:41,266 --> 00:34:43,600
The Press: From the White
House to Lerner's

836
00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:47,833
chief of staff or her other
aides, top aides?

837
00:34:48,132 --> 00:34:50,600
Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
I wasn't aware that

838
00:34:50,600 --> 00:34:52,232
that was a specific request
from Republicans.

839
00:34:52,233 --> 00:34:54,767
Have they asked for that?

840
00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,166
The Press: I don't know.

841
00:34:57,166 --> 00:34:57,400
I'm asking you.

842
00:34:57,400 --> 00:34:58,900
Was it just confined --

843
00:34:59,800 --> 00:35:01,367
Mr. Earnest: Roger, it
turns out that there

844
00:35:01,367 --> 00:35:03,000
have been 13 months of
multiple congressional

845
00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:05,233
investigations, including
14 congressional hearings,

846
00:35:05,233 --> 00:35:07,200
30 interviews with IRS
employees,

847
00:35:07,200 --> 00:35:10,500
50 written congressional
requests and 750,000

848
00:35:10,500 --> 00:35:11,433
pages of documents.

849
00:35:11,433 --> 00:35:13,767
And all of that has done
nothing

850
00:35:13,767 --> 00:35:16,165
to substantiate false Republican
claims

851
00:35:16,166 --> 00:35:18,900
of a broader political conspiracy.

852
00:35:18,900 --> 00:35:21,667
So I don't know if
you're floating another

853
00:35:21,667 --> 00:35:23,933
conspiracy or if this is a
request from

854
00:35:23,934 --> 00:35:25,633
Republicans who are floating a
conspiracy,

855
00:35:25,633 --> 00:35:27,633
or what exactly the suggestion is.

856
00:35:27,967 --> 00:35:30,533
But the fact of the matter

857
00:35:30,533 --> 00:35:33,967
is we've cooperated extensively.

858
00:35:33,967 --> 00:35:35,567
And despite that
cooperation,

859
00:35:35,567 --> 00:35:39,200
we've seen continued allegations
of Republican

860
00:35:39,200 --> 00:35:41,767
conspiracy theories that just
never pan out.

861
00:35:42,200 --> 00:35:46,332
The Press: Just on that
point, we understand --

862
00:35:46,333 --> 00:35:48,900
I think what Roger is trying
to get at is what I asked

863
00:35:48,900 --> 00:35:50,400
Jay a couple of days
ago, which is that

864
00:35:50,400 --> 00:35:51,834
we understand you've turned
over --

865
00:35:51,834 --> 00:35:54,165
the IRS has turned over tens of
thousands of emails.

866
00:35:54,166 --> 00:35:56,333
But when two years of
emails from

867
00:35:56,333 --> 00:35:58,166
the time period that's being
investigated,

868
00:35:58,166 --> 00:36:00,633
when tea party groups were
allegedly targeted,

869
00:36:00,633 --> 00:36:04,899
we don't know all the facts,
how can you say there's

870
00:36:04,900 --> 00:36:07,166
been extensive cooperation
if two years

871
00:36:07,166 --> 00:36:09,100
of emails are just missing?

872
00:36:09,100 --> 00:36:11,232
You don't seem to be
taking that point seriously.

873
00:36:11,233 --> 00:36:13,700
Mr. Earnest: Well, I guess
what I would

874
00:36:13,700 --> 00:36:16,232
say, Ed, is that I think it's
fair that we recognize

875
00:36:16,233 --> 00:36:18,867
that software moves on and that
archiving

876
00:36:18,867 --> 00:36:23,834
in a digital age is not as easy
as it might seem to the public.

877
00:36:23,834 --> 00:36:25,433
Those aren't just my
comments, but those

878
00:36:25,433 --> 00:36:27,867
are actually the comments of
Congressman Darrell Issa

879
00:36:27,867 --> 00:36:30,967
on February 26th, 2008.

880
00:36:30,967 --> 00:36:34,667
So his suggestion that
somehow there's a

881
00:36:34,667 --> 00:36:37,667
political conspiracy going
on here is not consistent

882
00:36:37,667 --> 00:36:38,933
with what he's previously
said

883
00:36:38,934 --> 00:36:39,367
on this kind of issue.

884
00:36:39,533 --> 00:36:40,200
The Press: But, again,
not conspiracies.

885
00:36:40,200 --> 00:36:41,466
If the emails are there,
you could show,

886
00:36:41,467 --> 00:36:42,633
hey, there's no conspiracy.

887
00:36:42,633 --> 00:36:43,533
That's the question.

888
00:36:43,533 --> 00:36:44,734
I understand you want to
keep saying

889
00:36:44,734 --> 00:36:45,933
it's about the Republicans.

890
00:36:45,934 --> 00:36:47,600
But why are two
years missing?

891
00:36:47,800 --> 00:36:49,100
Mr. Earnest: I think
Republicans keep making

892
00:36:49,100 --> 00:36:49,533
it about Republicans.

893
00:36:49,767 --> 00:36:50,165
The Press: Why are two
years of emails missing?

894
00:36:50,467 --> 00:36:51,633
Mr. Earnest: Well, because
there

895
00:36:51,633 --> 00:36:52,899
was -- the computer crashed.

896
00:36:52,900 --> 00:36:56,433
And what we've seen is a
demonstrated effort

897
00:36:56,433 --> 00:36:58,567
by this administration and
by the IRS

898
00:36:58,567 --> 00:37:00,800
to try to cooperate with
legitimate questions

899
00:37:00,800 --> 00:37:02,567
that have been posed by the
committee on this.

900
00:37:02,567 --> 00:37:04,000
So what that meant is that
meant that we've

901
00:37:04,000 --> 00:37:06,600
turned over 64,000 different
emails

902
00:37:06,600 --> 00:37:08,433
from Ms. Lerner's account.

903
00:37:08,433 --> 00:37:10,233
We've also gone back and
tried to --

904
00:37:10,233 --> 00:37:14,633
when I say "we," I mean the IRS
has gone back and looked

905
00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:18,567
for emails that may have been
sent or received

906
00:37:18,567 --> 00:37:22,066
by her colleagues at the IRS, so
that they could

907
00:37:22,066 --> 00:37:25,866
basically try to sort of build
in a structure to give people

908
00:37:25,867 --> 00:37:28,266
a sense about what those
emails were

909
00:37:28,266 --> 00:37:29,266
and what they indicate.

910
00:37:29,266 --> 00:37:31,734
So that constitutes 24,000
emails --

911
00:37:31,734 --> 00:37:35,266
additional emails or part of
that -- let me say it this

912
00:37:35,266 --> 00:37:38,166
way, 67,000 emails have been
provided to Congress,

913
00:37:38,166 --> 00:37:41,800
24,000 of them come from
this period during

914
00:37:41,800 --> 00:37:44,100
which her hard drive crashed and
which those

915
00:37:44,100 --> 00:37:45,200
emails were lost.

916
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:48,100
So there's been an effort
to reconstruct that path.

917
00:37:48,100 --> 00:37:50,366
And I think that is a
pretty clear demonstration

918
00:37:50,367 --> 00:37:51,800
of this administration's
willingness

919
00:37:51,800 --> 00:37:53,767
to cooperate with legitimate oversight.

920
00:37:53,767 --> 00:37:55,966
What's just as important
for people

921
00:37:55,967 --> 00:37:59,333
to understand is that despite
all of the data

922
00:37:59,333 --> 00:38:01,166
that has been provided to
Congress,

923
00:38:01,166 --> 00:38:03,967
there's not a shred of evidence
that substantiates

924
00:38:03,967 --> 00:38:05,400
Republican conspiracy theories.

925
00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:06,400
The Press: I'll move
on to a couple

926
00:38:06,400 --> 00:38:07,400
of other subjects.

927
00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:09,033
On immigration, to follow
up on what Jim was asking,

928
00:38:09,033 --> 00:38:13,366
not to belabor the point,
but when you said that

929
00:38:13,367 --> 00:38:15,633
this is not a ticket into
this country --

930
00:38:15,633 --> 00:38:18,000
based on what Jim is saying, it
is a ticket into

931
00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:20,767
this country for some illegal
immigrants.

932
00:38:20,767 --> 00:38:22,567
So will you at least
take the question?

933
00:38:22,567 --> 00:38:24,133
I understand you might not
have the stats in front

934
00:38:24,133 --> 00:38:25,633
of you at this moment.

935
00:38:25,633 --> 00:38:27,066
Will you take the question
and by the end

936
00:38:27,066 --> 00:38:29,533
of today give us the numbers on
how many people

937
00:38:29,533 --> 00:38:32,000
who promised to go to court
actually go to court?

938
00:38:32,000 --> 00:38:33,400
Mr. Earnest: I will take
a look

939
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:34,433
and see if those numbers are
available.

940
00:38:34,433 --> 00:38:36,233
I can't commit to giving
them to you,

941
00:38:36,233 --> 00:38:37,834
but I will take a look and
see if we can.

942
00:38:37,834 --> 00:38:40,933
The Press: And then, a
couple of quick things.

943
00:38:40,934 --> 00:38:42,100
How do you respond to
Republicans who are saying

944
00:38:42,100 --> 00:38:44,366
that what we're seeing
play out in Iraq

945
00:38:44,367 --> 00:38:47,066
could happen in Afghanistan
when our troops leave?

946
00:38:47,066 --> 00:38:48,966
I understand we're leaving
at least a small

947
00:38:48,967 --> 00:38:50,767
residual force behind, unlike Iraq.

948
00:38:50,767 --> 00:38:53,232
But that we could see the
same situation where

949
00:38:53,233 --> 00:38:55,333
the Taliban and other
terrorists move

950
00:38:55,333 --> 00:38:57,433
in and take advantage
of the situation.

951
00:38:57,433 --> 00:39:00,266
Mr. Earnest: We're
certainly concerned

952
00:39:00,266 --> 00:39:04,433
about making sure that we
leave behind

953
00:39:04,433 --> 00:39:11,600
a stable, self-governing, and
self-securing Afghanistan

954
00:39:11,600 --> 00:39:13,900
when our troops come home.

955
00:39:13,900 --> 00:39:17,900
That is an important part
of this mission,

956
00:39:17,900 --> 00:39:20,433
is to turn over a stable
Afghanistan

957
00:39:20,433 --> 00:39:24,500
so that the Afghan people can
pursue the kind of future that

958
00:39:24,500 --> 00:39:26,000
is best for their country.

959
00:39:27,266 --> 00:39:28,800
I guess what I would say
to Republicans who

960
00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:32,433
are worried about this is
what's the alternative?

961
00:39:32,433 --> 00:39:34,433
Is the alternative a
commitment

962
00:39:34,433 --> 00:39:37,100
of American service
personnel indefinitely

963
00:39:37,100 --> 00:39:40,299
in countries like Afghanistan and Iraq?

964
00:39:40,300 --> 00:39:41,700
They're welcome
to make that case.

965
00:39:41,700 --> 00:39:43,299
The President does not
believe that that

966
00:39:43,300 --> 00:39:44,600
is in the national security
interest

967
00:39:44,600 --> 00:39:45,366
of the United States of America.

968
00:39:45,667 --> 00:39:45,900
The Press: Last one --
you mentioned

969
00:39:45,900 --> 00:39:47,667
the Mexican President -- the
President had a phone

970
00:39:47,667 --> 00:39:49,967
call with President Peña Nieto.

971
00:39:49,967 --> 00:39:52,233
In the readout, it did
not mention whether

972
00:39:52,233 --> 00:39:53,033
they talked about the
jail

973
00:39:53,033 --> 00:39:54,633
of the U.S. Marine in Mexico.

974
00:39:54,633 --> 00:39:55,767
Did the President press
that case

975
00:39:55,767 --> 00:39:56,799
with the Mexican President?

976
00:39:57,066 --> 00:39:58,332
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any more details

977
00:39:58,333 --> 00:40:00,133
of that conversation, but I can
take a look

978
00:40:00,133 --> 00:40:00,834
into that for you, too.

979
00:40:01,100 --> 00:40:01,799
Tamara.

980
00:40:02,000 --> 00:40:04,533
The Press: Regarding the
unaccompanied minors,

981
00:40:04,533 --> 00:40:05,467
I have two questions.

982
00:40:05,467 --> 00:40:07,800
First one, House Speaker
John Boehner

983
00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:10,867
is calling for the National
Guard to be sent to the border

984
00:40:10,867 --> 00:40:13,100
to help with the situation.

985
00:40:13,100 --> 00:40:15,400
Does the White House have
any reaction to that?

986
00:40:15,400 --> 00:40:17,166
It was a letter I
guess to the President.

987
00:40:17,500 --> 00:40:20,000
Mr. Earnest: Well, I've
heard about the letter.

988
00:40:20,000 --> 00:40:21,700
I haven't actually
read it myself.

989
00:40:21,700 --> 00:40:26,000
What I can tell you is
that there is the view

990
00:40:29,033 --> 00:40:35,165
that there are already
significant enforcement

991
00:40:35,166 --> 00:40:37,934
resources that have been
deployed to the border.

992
00:40:37,934 --> 00:40:39,367
In fact, there's been a
historic commitment

993
00:40:39,367 --> 00:40:41,033
by this administration to
ensure that there

994
00:40:41,033 --> 00:40:42,799
are boots on the ground
securing our border.

995
00:40:44,300 --> 00:40:49,000
And the fact is the
commonsense immigration

996
00:40:49,000 --> 00:40:51,433
reform proposal that
passed through

997
00:40:51,433 --> 00:40:54,633
the Senate a year ago actually
includes a significant

998
00:40:54,633 --> 00:40:56,600
additional investment in
resources

999
00:40:56,600 --> 00:40:59,533
to securing our border.

1000
00:40:59,533 --> 00:41:04,834
The fact is that last year
360,000 individuals

1001
00:41:04,834 --> 00:41:06,933
who are attempting to cross
the border

1002
00:41:06,934 --> 00:41:08,433
were detained and removed from
this country

1003
00:41:08,433 --> 00:41:10,867
by existing resources.

1004
00:41:10,867 --> 00:41:14,500
So what that indicates is
that there is already

1005
00:41:14,500 --> 00:41:16,100
a robust effort on the
border to secure

1006
00:41:16,100 --> 00:41:19,533
this country and enforce
our immigration laws.

1007
00:41:20,033 --> 00:41:23,133
It's also an indication
that the President

1008
00:41:23,133 --> 00:41:25,265
is willing to enforce
that law strictly.

1009
00:41:25,266 --> 00:41:28,133
But those who are
interested

1010
00:41:28,133 --> 00:41:31,799
in additional resources being
deployed to the border

1011
00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:34,300
should support the commonsense,
bipartisan immigration

1012
00:41:34,300 --> 00:41:35,500
reform proposal that
passed through

1013
00:41:35,500 --> 00:41:37,900
the Senate and right now is
being blocked

1014
00:41:37,900 --> 00:41:39,333
by House Republicans.

1015
00:41:40,300 --> 00:41:40,533
The Press: So that is to
say the President

1016
00:41:40,533 --> 00:41:42,232
is not going to send in the
National Guard

1017
00:41:42,233 --> 00:41:43,734
at least immediately?

1018
00:41:44,133 --> 00:41:46,332
Mr. Earnest: There's no
specific plan right

1019
00:41:46,333 --> 00:41:47,367
now to do that.

1020
00:41:47,367 --> 00:41:53,433
But again, there has been
a demonstrated record of

1021
00:41:53,433 --> 00:41:57,033
enforcing our immigration
laws at the border.

1022
00:41:57,033 --> 00:42:01,600
And the enforcement of
those laws will continue.

1023
00:42:01,600 --> 00:42:03,232
If there are those who
believe that there should

1024
00:42:03,233 --> 00:42:05,700
be additional resources
placed to secure

1025
00:42:05,700 --> 00:42:08,000
our border, I would strongly
encourage them

1026
00:42:08,000 --> 00:42:10,967
to consider supporting the
bipartisan immigration

1027
00:42:10,967 --> 00:42:12,667
reform proposal that passed in
the Senate last year.

1028
00:42:12,667 --> 00:42:14,165
The Press: And could you
also give a little bit

1029
00:42:14,166 --> 00:42:16,900
more detail about what the
hope is with the tens

1030
00:42:16,900 --> 00:42:18,700
of millions of dollars that
are being sent

1031
00:42:18,700 --> 00:42:24,133
to Central American countries to
presumably help relieve

1032
00:42:24,133 --> 00:42:25,399
some of the situations
there that

1033
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:26,900
are causing people to want
to come here?

1034
00:42:27,200 --> 00:42:29,433
Mr. Earnest: Well, these
are programs --

1035
00:42:29,433 --> 00:42:32,467
some of which are funded
through USAID.

1036
00:42:32,467 --> 00:42:35,000
Others are part of
security programs

1037
00:42:35,000 --> 00:42:38,567
that we have -- or the
continuation

1038
00:42:38,567 --> 00:42:40,700
of security programs that we
have with these countries.

1039
00:42:40,700 --> 00:42:41,734
I'd refer you to my
colleagues

1040
00:42:41,734 --> 00:42:42,734
at the Department of State.

1041
00:42:42,734 --> 00:42:43,734
They may be able to
provide you some

1042
00:42:43,734 --> 00:42:45,433
more details on those
programs, okay?

1043
00:42:45,834 --> 00:42:47,066
Yes, this gentleman
in the back.

1044
00:42:47,400 --> 00:42:49,133
The Press: Josh, in
regards with the telephone

1045
00:42:49,133 --> 00:42:51,332
call of President Obama
with President Peña Nieto,

1046
00:42:51,333 --> 00:42:54,200
did he make any specific
requests

1047
00:42:54,200 --> 00:42:57,133
like maybe controlling better
the south border

1048
00:42:57,133 --> 00:43:02,866
with Mexico to prevent the
crossing of these minors?

1049
00:43:02,867 --> 00:43:05,467
And also, there is going
to be a special

1050
00:43:05,467 --> 00:43:07,233
commission that analyze this
situation

1051
00:43:07,233 --> 00:43:12,467
with members of the U.S. Cabinet

1052
00:43:12,467 --> 00:43:14,767
like Homeland
Security,

1053
00:43:14,767 --> 00:43:17,232
Health and Human Services, et cetera?

1054
00:43:17,233 --> 00:43:19,066
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any additional

1055
00:43:19,066 --> 00:43:21,600
details about that phone call
to tell you about.

1056
00:43:21,600 --> 00:43:25,700
But I will say that the
United States

1057
00:43:25,700 --> 00:43:28,232
and the Obama administration in
particular believes

1058
00:43:28,233 --> 00:43:30,500
that there is an opportunity
for us to work

1059
00:43:30,500 --> 00:43:32,567
cooperatively to
address this problem.

1060
00:43:32,567 --> 00:43:34,300
That means cooperating
with the government

1061
00:43:34,300 --> 00:43:36,133
of Mexico, and that also
means cooperating

1062
00:43:36,133 --> 00:43:38,332
with the governments of
Guatemala and Honduras,

1063
00:43:38,333 --> 00:43:42,100
El Salvador, and other nations
in the region, that

1064
00:43:42,100 --> 00:43:44,967
if we can address this problem
before individuals

1065
00:43:44,967 --> 00:43:50,100
show up on the border, that
would be good and clearly

1066
00:43:50,100 --> 00:43:52,866
in the best interests of those
who are risking

1067
00:43:52,867 --> 00:43:54,300
their lives to try to come
to this country.

1068
00:43:54,300 --> 00:43:56,333
The Press: That means that
maybe you are asking

1069
00:43:56,333 --> 00:43:59,800
these governments to start
campaigns to inform

1070
00:43:59,800 --> 00:44:03,934
the people about the lies of
the smugglers perhaps

1071
00:44:03,934 --> 00:44:05,633
and make them aware
of the danger?

1072
00:44:05,834 --> 00:44:07,567
Mr. Earnest: We are very
interested in making sure

1073
00:44:07,567 --> 00:44:12,333
that we use every
available resource

1074
00:44:12,333 --> 00:44:15,533
to correct the record and
counter the coordinated

1075
00:44:15,533 --> 00:44:17,066
misinformation campaign
that's being

1076
00:44:17,066 --> 00:44:18,834
spread by criminal syndicates

1077
00:44:18,834 --> 00:44:19,899
throughout Central America.

1078
00:44:19,900 --> 00:44:20,900
There's no doubt
about that.

1079
00:44:20,900 --> 00:44:21,900
And there have been a
range of things

1080
00:44:21,900 --> 00:44:24,433
that have already done that.

1081
00:44:24,433 --> 00:44:26,100
And we're working with
the governments

1082
00:44:26,100 --> 00:44:28,700
of those countries to make sure
that message gets out.

1083
00:44:29,200 --> 00:44:30,533
In terms of what you
reference in your

1084
00:44:30,533 --> 00:44:34,066
first question about the efforts
of the President's Cabinet

1085
00:44:34,066 --> 00:44:36,767
to address this problem, a
couple of weeks

1086
00:44:36,767 --> 00:44:38,966
ago, the President directed
the Federal

1087
00:44:38,967 --> 00:44:42,633
Emergency Management Agency to
take a hands-on role

1088
00:44:42,633 --> 00:44:44,600
in coordinating the
government response

1089
00:44:44,600 --> 00:44:46,567
to the influx of immigrants
we're seeing at the border.

1090
00:44:47,367 --> 00:44:48,633
And so they have played a
leading role

1091
00:44:48,633 --> 00:44:51,366
in working with DHS and with HHS
to open up additional

1092
00:44:51,367 --> 00:44:53,700
facilities and make sure
that we're following

1093
00:44:53,700 --> 00:44:58,433
the law both in terms of
detaining individuals,

1094
00:44:58,433 --> 00:44:59,900
but also making sure that
we're doing

1095
00:44:59,900 --> 00:45:01,900
that in a humanitarian fashion.

1096
00:45:01,900 --> 00:45:04,400
And it's our hope that
the announcement today

1097
00:45:04,400 --> 00:45:07,367
of additional resources to
process those asylum

1098
00:45:07,367 --> 00:45:10,166
requests and to process
these cases through

1099
00:45:10,166 --> 00:45:12,633
the immigration courts more
efficiently

1100
00:45:12,633 --> 00:45:15,232
will also ensure that those
individuals

1101
00:45:15,233 --> 00:45:17,400
who are here are treated more humanely.

1102
00:45:17,400 --> 00:45:19,700
The Press: Is there any
emphasis

1103
00:45:19,700 --> 00:45:24,265
on more security in the southern
border of Mexico?

1104
00:45:24,266 --> 00:45:27,000
Mr. Earnest: I'd refer you
to the Mexican government

1105
00:45:27,000 --> 00:45:28,500
to provide you with any
updates about that.

1106
00:45:28,767 --> 00:45:29,165
Chuck.

1107
00:45:29,400 --> 00:45:29,867
The Press: I want to
follow

1108
00:45:29,867 --> 00:45:30,900
up on that criminal syndicate.

1109
00:45:30,900 --> 00:45:35,667
There's been some
implications that

1110
00:45:35,667 --> 00:45:39,767
it's possible the drug cartels
are simply doing this

1111
00:45:39,767 --> 00:45:41,000
as a money-making operation.

1112
00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:42,400
Do you guys have
evidence of this?

1113
00:45:42,400 --> 00:45:44,567
You're identifying them as
a criminal syndicate

1114
00:45:44,567 --> 00:45:47,500
that is perpetuating this
misinformation.

1115
00:45:47,500 --> 00:45:50,600
What more do you guys know
about

1116
00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:51,400
who these people are?

1117
00:45:51,567 --> 00:45:52,066
Mr. Earnest:
Well, I would --

1118
00:45:52,333 --> 00:45:53,200
The Press: Is
it the narcos?

1119
00:45:53,200 --> 00:45:54,033
Or is it some of these --

1120
00:45:54,333 --> 00:45:55,367
Mr. Earnest: I think
there's -- I think there

1121
00:45:55,367 --> 00:45:58,000
is a concern that there
are criminal elements

1122
00:45:58,000 --> 00:46:00,433
like narco-gangs and human
traffickers

1123
00:46:00,433 --> 00:46:01,433
who are involved in this.

1124
00:46:01,433 --> 00:46:02,967
The Press: They're simply
trying to profit

1125
00:46:02,967 --> 00:46:04,133
off of rumors?

1126
00:46:04,133 --> 00:46:05,700
Mr. Earnest: Well, who
are taking advantage

1127
00:46:05,700 --> 00:46:09,767
of vulnerable populations to
try to make some money.

1128
00:46:09,767 --> 00:46:11,299
We remain very
concerned about this.

1129
00:46:11,300 --> 00:46:12,834
For more details on this,
I'd refer you

1130
00:46:12,834 --> 00:46:16,299
to DHS who is working the
criminal element

1131
00:46:16,300 --> 00:46:17,300
of this more aggressively.

1132
00:46:17,300 --> 00:46:21,166
The Press: Do you have --
would the FBI be involved?

1133
00:46:21,166 --> 00:46:22,200
Who would be involved of
trying

1134
00:46:22,200 --> 00:46:24,799
to get at these criminal
elements that are doing this?

1135
00:46:24,800 --> 00:46:27,400
Mr. Earnest: Well, there
is a role for DHS to play.

1136
00:46:27,400 --> 00:46:28,633
The President has talked
quite a bit about

1137
00:46:28,633 --> 00:46:31,165
human trafficking, and the
threat that this poses

1138
00:46:31,166 --> 00:46:32,934
to our national security, and
the humanitarian

1139
00:46:32,934 --> 00:46:33,967
problem that it presents.

1140
00:46:34,467 --> 00:46:35,867
We're obviously going to
have to work closely

1141
00:46:35,867 --> 00:46:37,133
with the Mexican government to
address

1142
00:46:37,133 --> 00:46:38,133
this problem, as well.

1143
00:46:38,133 --> 00:46:39,834
And I think that was
mentioned in the readout.

1144
00:46:40,166 --> 00:46:41,367
The Press: Right, going to
the Border Patrol

1145
00:46:41,367 --> 00:46:43,033
issue that Speaker Boehner
brought

1146
00:46:43,033 --> 00:46:46,700
up, are you guys convinced that
the Border Patrol is not over --

1147
00:46:46,700 --> 00:46:48,332
is not being overburdened
by this right now?

1148
00:46:48,767 --> 00:46:50,500
Mr. Earnest: I think
what's being overburdened

1149
00:46:50,500 --> 00:46:52,800
by this are actually the
immigration courts, right?

1150
00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:53,934
That that's where we're
seeing the backlog.

1151
00:46:54,133 --> 00:46:54,899
The Press: That's where
you think the burden is?

1152
00:46:55,133 --> 00:46:55,633
Mr. Earnest: Yes.

1153
00:46:55,834 --> 00:46:56,200
The Press: You don't feel
like

1154
00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:57,399
it is the Border Patrol itself,
that they can still

1155
00:46:57,400 --> 00:46:59,934
do their regular job on the
border in addition to this,

1156
00:46:59,934 --> 00:47:01,100
handle this as well?

1157
00:47:01,300 --> 00:47:01,633
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
what I would

1158
00:47:01,633 --> 00:47:03,066
say is that our most acute
concern right

1159
00:47:03,066 --> 00:47:06,500
now is the immigration courts,
and that the backlog

1160
00:47:06,500 --> 00:47:09,600
that is building up because of
the surge that we've seen

1161
00:47:09,600 --> 00:47:10,600
along the southern border.

1162
00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:12,567
So that's why we are, in
fact, surging resources

1163
00:47:12,567 --> 00:47:15,000
to try to address that.

1164
00:47:15,000 --> 00:47:16,633
The Press: Senate
Menendez, Democratic

1165
00:47:16,633 --> 00:47:17,633
Chairman of the Foreign
Relations Committee,

1166
00:47:17,633 --> 00:47:20,834
said he's concerned about the
idea of you guys trying

1167
00:47:20,834 --> 00:47:23,399
to find more camps --
essentially detention

1168
00:47:23,400 --> 00:47:25,533
camps for these children,
that there is a more

1169
00:47:25,533 --> 00:47:29,165
humanitarian way to do
this that guarantees

1170
00:47:29,166 --> 00:47:31,533
that these children do make
their court dates.

1171
00:47:31,533 --> 00:47:35,299
Are you guys looking into
alternatives other

1172
00:47:35,300 --> 00:47:38,500
than putting them in some
camps or detention camps,

1173
00:47:38,500 --> 00:47:39,266
however you want
to describe them?

1174
00:47:39,667 --> 00:47:42,066
Mr. Earnest: Well, there
are a couple of things

1175
00:47:42,066 --> 00:47:42,966
that we're looking at.

1176
00:47:42,967 --> 00:47:44,400
The first is -- what
we announced today

1177
00:47:44,400 --> 00:47:48,367
was detention facilities that
could accommodate adults

1178
00:47:48,367 --> 00:47:49,867
who traveled here
with their children.

1179
00:47:49,867 --> 00:47:53,000
There are also
alternatives to detention

1180
00:47:53,000 --> 00:47:55,433
programs like ankle
bracelets that

1181
00:47:55,433 --> 00:47:57,033
are also being deployed to try
to address this problem.

1182
00:47:57,233 --> 00:47:57,900
The Press: You
are deploying?

1183
00:47:58,066 --> 00:47:58,366
Mr. Earnest: We are.

1184
00:47:58,367 --> 00:47:58,800
We are.

1185
00:47:58,800 --> 00:47:59,734
And again --

1186
00:47:59,934 --> 00:48:00,433
The Press: For
the children?

1187
00:48:00,600 --> 00:48:01,066
Mr. Earnest: I'm sorry?

1188
00:48:01,367 --> 00:48:02,066
The Press: For
the children?

1189
00:48:02,066 --> 00:48:03,933
Or is it specific?

1190
00:48:03,934 --> 00:48:05,633
Or anybody with the ankle
-- are you going

1191
00:48:05,633 --> 00:48:07,165
to be putting ankle
bracelets on this kids?

1192
00:48:07,166 --> 00:48:08,200
Or on the adults?

1193
00:48:08,500 --> 00:48:09,266
Mr. Earnest: Well, in
terms

1194
00:48:09,266 --> 00:48:10,834
of the way that these policies
are implemented,

1195
00:48:10,834 --> 00:48:13,165
I'd refer you to DHS for that.

1196
00:48:13,166 --> 00:48:16,233
But we are looking for a
variety of ways

1197
00:48:18,400 --> 00:48:22,734
to handle what we see is at root
a humanitarian problem,

1198
00:48:22,734 --> 00:48:25,767
but in a way that makes clear
this administration's

1199
00:48:25,767 --> 00:48:26,966
commitment to
enforcing the law.

1200
00:48:26,967 --> 00:48:28,400
And that's why it's so
important,

1201
00:48:28,400 --> 00:48:30,567
as Jim and I talked about, for
people to understand

1202
00:48:30,567 --> 00:48:31,734
what that law actually is.

1203
00:48:31,734 --> 00:48:32,734
Because when they show up
here,

1204
00:48:32,734 --> 00:48:33,799
that law is going to be enforced.

1205
00:48:33,800 --> 00:48:35,300
The Press: But the law
with these --

1206
00:48:35,300 --> 00:48:37,867
since it's a -- the law says,
the United States

1207
00:48:37,867 --> 00:48:39,367
has to keep them for some
time, does it not?

1208
00:48:39,633 --> 00:48:42,232
Mr. Earnest: Well, each
situation is different.

1209
00:48:42,233 --> 00:48:44,333
And each is handled on
a case-by-case basis.

1210
00:48:44,333 --> 00:48:45,467
That's why we want to
make sure that

1211
00:48:45,467 --> 00:48:47,867
we have immigration judges and
asylum officers

1212
00:48:47,867 --> 00:48:49,967
and others who can make sure
that these cases

1213
00:48:49,967 --> 00:48:51,133
are processed efficiently.

1214
00:48:51,433 --> 00:48:53,834
And when those cases call,
as they do in many, many

1215
00:48:53,834 --> 00:48:56,633
cases for the removal of
these individuals back

1216
00:48:56,633 --> 00:48:58,299
to their home country, that
that's something

1217
00:48:58,300 --> 00:49:00,367
that can be executed pretty

1218
00:49:00,367 --> 00:49:00,834
efficiently and effectively.

1219
00:49:01,567 --> 00:49:01,867
The Press: Do you think
this law needs

1220
00:49:01,867 --> 00:49:02,066
to be changed?

1221
00:49:02,333 --> 00:49:06,934
Mr. Earnest: Well, what we
think needs to be changed

1222
00:49:06,934 --> 00:49:09,667
and reformed is the legal
immigration system,

1223
00:49:09,667 --> 00:49:11,066
that what we're concerned about
is that there

1224
00:49:11,066 --> 00:49:12,633
are a lot of people who do want
to follow the

1225
00:49:12,633 --> 00:49:14,366
law and want to come to this
country,

1226
00:49:14,367 --> 00:49:16,467
but can't because the law is so --

1227
00:49:16,467 --> 00:49:17,800
The Press: This is
different than

1228
00:49:17,800 --> 00:49:18,800
the immigration law.

1229
00:49:18,800 --> 00:49:21,000
This has to do with --
this has to do with --

1230
00:49:21,000 --> 00:49:23,767
this is not about
Mexican immigration.

1231
00:49:23,767 --> 00:49:24,866
This is not Canadian.

1232
00:49:24,867 --> 00:49:26,066
This is a separate law.

1233
00:49:26,066 --> 00:49:27,466
That's why I asked if you
want this law changed.

1234
00:49:27,633 --> 00:49:28,667
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
inefficiency

1235
00:49:28,667 --> 00:49:32,533
of our legal immigration system
is not irrelevant here, right,

1236
00:49:32,533 --> 00:49:35,400
that if we did have a much
better functioning

1237
00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:38,667
legal immigration system, as
is contemplated

1238
00:49:38,667 --> 00:49:42,866
by the current immigration
reform proposal,

1239
00:49:42,867 --> 00:49:45,800
that would contribute to
solving this problem?

1240
00:49:45,800 --> 00:49:48,300
It probably wouldn't solve
it entirely,

1241
00:49:48,300 --> 00:49:50,700
but there is more that can be done.

1242
00:49:50,700 --> 00:49:53,433
And one important step
that would at least

1243
00:49:53,433 --> 00:49:55,266
mitigate this problem
a little bit would

1244
00:49:55,266 --> 00:49:56,967
be passing comprehensive
immigration reform.

1245
00:49:57,266 --> 00:49:59,000
Move around.

1246
00:49:59,000 --> 00:50:00,533
Alexis.

1247
00:50:01,400 --> 00:50:02,834
The Press: Josh, a
follow-up on what

1248
00:50:02,834 --> 00:50:03,933
Chuck was asking because I'm
still confused

1249
00:50:03,934 --> 00:50:06,667
in your response to his
question, too.

1250
00:50:06,667 --> 00:50:08,500
You said the
administration response

1251
00:50:08,500 --> 00:50:12,200
to Chuck is concerned that
criminal syndicates

1252
00:50:12,200 --> 00:50:13,799
are responsible
for this surge.

1253
00:50:13,800 --> 00:50:16,300
And a few minutes before
that, your quote

1254
00:50:16,300 --> 00:50:19,767
was, "this deliberate
misinformation campaign

1255
00:50:19,767 --> 00:50:21,834
by criminal syndicates in
Central America,"

1256
00:50:21,834 --> 00:50:23,265
which made it seem like there

1257
00:50:23,266 --> 00:50:26,233
was more affirmative evidence.

1258
00:50:26,233 --> 00:50:28,600
So can you just sort out
what made

1259
00:50:28,600 --> 00:50:29,366
you so firm --

1260
00:50:29,367 --> 00:50:30,066
Mr. Earnest: I think you
might be parsing

1261
00:50:30,066 --> 00:50:30,799
it a little bit too much.

1262
00:50:30,800 --> 00:50:32,233
What I was trying to say
is that we're concerned

1263
00:50:32,233 --> 00:50:36,767
that there are
individuals, criminals

1264
00:50:36,767 --> 00:50:40,200
in Central America who are
preying upon individual --

1265
00:50:40,200 --> 00:50:42,533
vulnerable individuals,
spreading

1266
00:50:42,533 --> 00:50:45,100
this information, and trying
to capitalize

1267
00:50:45,100 --> 00:50:46,600
on their vulnerable position.

1268
00:50:47,400 --> 00:50:48,567
We're concerned
about that.

1269
00:50:48,567 --> 00:50:51,233
We would like to see
it put to an end.

1270
00:50:51,233 --> 00:50:52,734
There are a variety of
ways that

1271
00:50:52,734 --> 00:50:55,667
we can do that working with host
governments, but also

1272
00:50:55,667 --> 00:50:58,266
by communicating clearly to
the American people,

1273
00:50:58,266 --> 00:51:00,166
to everybody in this country
and to everybody

1274
00:51:00,166 --> 00:51:04,667
in Central American countries
what the law actually

1275
00:51:04,667 --> 00:51:06,700
is and our commitment
to enforcing it.

1276
00:51:06,700 --> 00:51:08,933
The Press: Here is what
I'm trying to ask:

1277
00:51:08,934 --> 00:51:12,667
Obviously, DHS and Border
Security officials

1278
00:51:12,667 --> 00:51:17,734
and ICE, they are debriefing
the youngsters

1279
00:51:17,734 --> 00:51:20,299
and all these folks, and what
I'm trying

1280
00:51:20,300 --> 00:51:23,834
to get at is, are they saying,
this is how I came, this is what

1281
00:51:23,834 --> 00:51:26,366
the information was, this is
-- what information

1282
00:51:26,367 --> 00:51:30,767
do you have to build this case
just so that we're saying,

1283
00:51:30,767 --> 00:51:32,265
look, this is
what we're seeing?

1284
00:51:32,533 --> 00:51:34,834
Mr. Earnest: I think in
terms of the results

1285
00:51:34,834 --> 00:51:36,834
of debriefs like that,
I'd refer you to DHS.

1286
00:51:37,166 --> 00:51:38,533
The Press: So but you
haven't

1287
00:51:38,533 --> 00:51:39,734
been given any --

1288
00:51:39,734 --> 00:51:40,834
Mr. Earnest: I don't have
any insight into those

1289
00:51:40,834 --> 00:51:41,700
kinds of interviews

1290
00:51:41,700 --> 00:51:43,866
and what information they've yielded.

1291
00:51:44,100 --> 00:51:45,433
The Press: One other
question on Iraq.

1292
00:51:45,433 --> 00:51:48,834
In the context of dealing
with Congress

1293
00:51:48,834 --> 00:51:51,366
on the Iraq-Syria situation
and ISIL,

1294
00:51:51,367 --> 00:51:55,000
what kind of budgetary
implications would

1295
00:51:55,000 --> 00:51:57,834
the President's policy
announcement yesterday

1296
00:51:57,834 --> 00:52:00,933
have as we head towards the end
of the fiscal year?

1297
00:52:00,934 --> 00:52:05,367
Have you assessed at
all what the costs --

1298
00:52:05,700 --> 00:52:06,399
Mr. Earnest: I haven't.

1299
00:52:06,400 --> 00:52:08,066
I'll see if I can get you some

1300
00:52:08,066 --> 00:52:08,633
more information about that.

1301
00:52:08,967 --> 00:52:09,567
Major.

1302
00:52:10,800 --> 00:52:12,133
The Press: Josh, when does
the President expect

1303
00:52:12,133 --> 00:52:16,100
the first teams of Green
Berets to arrive in Iraq?

1304
00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:18,066
Mr. Earnest: For those
kinds of operational

1305
00:52:18,066 --> 00:52:19,667
questions, I'd refer

1306
00:52:19,667 --> 00:52:21,467
you to the Department of Defense
and I think they may be able

1307
00:52:21,467 --> 00:52:23,066
to provide you some more
information about that.

1308
00:52:23,400 --> 00:52:25,033
The Press: So he has no
expectation that

1309
00:52:25,033 --> 00:52:25,900
it will happen any time soon?

1310
00:52:26,233 --> 00:52:27,867
Mr. Earnest: What I'm
saying is that

1311
00:52:27,867 --> 00:52:29,266
I don't know what --

1312
00:52:29,700 --> 00:52:30,500
The Press: Well,
he ordered it.

1313
00:52:30,500 --> 00:52:31,000
I'm just curious.

1314
00:52:31,166 --> 00:52:31,800
Mr. Earnest: He did order
it,

1315
00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:33,867
and the Department of Defense,
who is responsible

1316
00:52:33,867 --> 00:52:35,934
for carrying out that order will
be able to provide

1317
00:52:35,934 --> 00:52:37,533
you with some more details about
the time frame

1318
00:52:37,533 --> 00:52:38,799
in which that order will
be carried out.

1319
00:52:38,967 --> 00:52:39,900
The Press: Understood.

1320
00:52:39,900 --> 00:52:41,500
Let me turn the Maliki
question around,

1321
00:52:41,500 --> 00:52:44,600
because we've persistently
asked what if he goes.

1322
00:52:44,600 --> 00:52:45,500
What if he stays?

1323
00:52:45,500 --> 00:52:47,467
What if that's the
determination,

1324
00:52:47,467 --> 00:52:49,867
that the politics -- looks for
some alternatives

1325
00:52:49,867 --> 00:52:52,633
and he doesn't sort anything
out, and Maliki strong arms

1326
00:52:52,633 --> 00:52:54,966
his way into power and remains
there because

1327
00:52:54,967 --> 00:52:56,633
he did win this third round
of elections.

1328
00:52:56,633 --> 00:52:58,734
Will the U.S. by its

1329
00:52:58,734 --> 00:53:01,333
very nature have to
reassess what

1330
00:53:01,333 --> 00:53:03,233
it has done so far and what it
might be contemplating

1331
00:53:03,233 --> 00:53:05,367
in its continued relationship
with the Iraqi government?

1332
00:53:05,834 --> 00:53:07,633
Mr. Earnest: I'm hesitant
to dive too deeply

1333
00:53:07,633 --> 00:53:10,533
into a hypothetical about
whether or not he stays,

1334
00:53:10,533 --> 00:53:11,232
but let me try to --

1335
00:53:11,400 --> 00:53:12,233
The Press: But there's
been plenty

1336
00:53:12,233 --> 00:53:13,667
of rhetoric about the need for
an inclusive government

1337
00:53:13,667 --> 00:53:16,799
and things that obviously
take on a different,

1338
00:53:16,800 --> 00:53:21,934
more inclusive and less
divisive chain

1339
00:53:21,934 --> 00:53:24,867
of events than we've seen from
the Maliki regime so far.

1340
00:53:24,867 --> 00:53:28,667
Mr. Earnest: Well, what I
think I would say about

1341
00:53:28,667 --> 00:53:30,834
that is simply that it is
the view

1342
00:53:30,834 --> 00:53:31,966
of the United States -- and the
President

1343
00:53:31,967 --> 00:53:34,967
said this yesterday -- that
there is not a military solution

1344
00:53:34,967 --> 00:53:37,800
to the challenges that
are posed to the Iraqi

1345
00:53:37,800 --> 00:53:39,567
government right now;
that there

1346
00:53:39,567 --> 00:53:42,400
may be an opportunity and it may
be necessary

1347
00:53:42,400 --> 00:53:45,333
for the Iraqi security forces to
take some steps

1348
00:53:45,333 --> 00:53:49,000
to stabilize the security
situation in the short term.

1349
00:53:49,633 --> 00:53:56,332
But that is only a
short-term solution.

1350
00:53:56,333 --> 00:53:59,133
To get at the root of the
enduring problems

1351
00:53:59,133 --> 00:54:01,899
will require a political
effort that's

1352
00:54:01,900 --> 00:54:06,100
much more inclusive, that
demonstrates

1353
00:54:06,100 --> 00:54:08,232
to every Iraqi citizen that they
have a stake

1354
00:54:08,233 --> 00:54:09,233
in that country's future.

1355
00:54:09,233 --> 00:54:10,500
And that will require the
pursuit

1356
00:54:10,500 --> 00:54:12,867
of an inclusive political agenda.

1357
00:54:13,333 --> 00:54:14,133
The Press: Taking names

1358
00:54:14,133 --> 00:54:16,299
out of it, absent that process,
would the United States

1359
00:54:16,300 --> 00:54:18,200
have to reassess its
relationship with Iraq?

1360
00:54:18,533 --> 00:54:21,000
Mr. Earnest: Well, I think
the United States

1361
00:54:21,000 --> 00:54:24,600
is always assessing our
relationship with Iraq,

1362
00:54:24,600 --> 00:54:26,799
and assessing -- most
importantly,

1363
00:54:26,800 --> 00:54:28,800
as the President, again, said
yesterday --

1364
00:54:28,800 --> 00:54:33,066
are the national security
implications

1365
00:54:33,066 --> 00:54:36,366
of ongoing instability there.

1366
00:54:36,367 --> 00:54:39,500
There are serious concerns
that are raised

1367
00:54:39,500 --> 00:54:43,367
by the advances that have
been made by ISIL.

1368
00:54:43,367 --> 00:54:45,367
Those are concerns that
have attracted

1369
00:54:45,367 --> 00:54:47,166
the attention not just in the
United States

1370
00:54:47,166 --> 00:54:50,000
but other countries in the region,

1371
00:54:50,000 --> 00:54:51,333
particularly Iraq's neighbors.

1372
00:54:51,800 --> 00:54:53,100
So there is an opportunity
for us to work

1373
00:54:53,100 --> 00:54:54,567
in collaborative fashion
with the international

1374
00:54:54,567 --> 00:54:57,266
community to try to
address this problem,

1375
00:54:57,266 --> 00:55:00,667
and I think that there
is pretty widespread

1376
00:55:00,667 --> 00:55:04,933
agreement that a military
solution

1377
00:55:04,934 --> 00:55:07,734
is not a long-term one, and that
it will require,

1378
00:55:07,734 --> 00:55:11,100
as the President has said, the
leaders of Iraq

1379
00:55:11,100 --> 00:55:14,165
to pursue an inclusive
political agenda.

1380
00:55:14,767 --> 00:55:17,734
So that is an effort that
we can work with

1381
00:55:17,734 --> 00:55:19,533
the Iraqis to develop.

1382
00:55:19,533 --> 00:55:21,266
It's certainly one we've
been encouraging

1383
00:55:21,266 --> 00:55:22,367
them to pursue.

1384
00:55:22,367 --> 00:55:23,367
And there is an
opportunity

1385
00:55:23,367 --> 00:55:25,800
for other countries in the
region to play a constructive

1386
00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:30,233
role in encouraging the leaders
of Iraq to pursue

1387
00:55:30,233 --> 00:55:31,667
that inclusive agenda.

1388
00:55:31,967 --> 00:55:33,133
The Press: On the
unaccompanied children.

1389
00:55:33,133 --> 00:55:34,734
It sounds as if what
you're trying

1390
00:55:34,734 --> 00:55:36,933
to say, among the many things
you're trying

1391
00:55:36,934 --> 00:55:38,867
to articulate about what the
administration

1392
00:55:38,867 --> 00:55:42,166
is now doing, is the presumption
will be that

1393
00:55:42,166 --> 00:55:44,800
these children and their maybe
single mothers

1394
00:55:44,800 --> 00:55:47,433
will not qualify as political
refugees

1395
00:55:47,433 --> 00:55:50,934
or refugees under any definition under

1396
00:55:50,934 --> 00:55:53,467
U.S. law and that they will,
once processed,

1397
00:55:53,467 --> 00:55:54,800
be sent home.

1398
00:55:54,800 --> 00:55:57,166
That's why it's
misinformation to suggest,

1399
00:55:57,166 --> 00:56:01,400
as you have identified
these various criminal

1400
00:56:01,400 --> 00:56:03,567
actors, telling them
that they can't.

1401
00:56:03,567 --> 00:56:05,767
Is that a fair
interpretation

1402
00:56:05,767 --> 00:56:09,000
of what you're saying about what
the likely outcome

1403
00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:11,233
of the processing of these
unaccompanied children

1404
00:56:11,233 --> 00:56:12,767
and single mothers
is likely to be?

1405
00:56:13,100 --> 00:56:14,133
Mr. Earnest: No, I don't
think that's quite right.

1406
00:56:14,133 --> 00:56:15,265
I think it's the other way
around, which

1407
00:56:15,266 --> 00:56:16,734
is I think that the
misinformation that's

1408
00:56:16,734 --> 00:56:20,967
being spread is that everybody
who shows up on the border,

1409
00:56:20,967 --> 00:56:23,967
on the southern border, will
be allowed to stay.

1410
00:56:23,967 --> 00:56:25,200
And what I'm saying
is that's not true.

1411
00:56:25,867 --> 00:56:27,300
The Press: Some will
be allowed to stay?

1412
00:56:27,867 --> 00:56:29,266
Mr. Earnest: What's I'm
saying is that

1413
00:56:29,266 --> 00:56:30,834
every person who does show up
at that border

1414
00:56:30,834 --> 00:56:31,667
will go through --

1415
00:56:32,000 --> 00:56:32,567
The Press: A process.

1416
00:56:32,800 --> 00:56:33,767
Mr. Earnest: The
immigration process.

1417
00:56:33,767 --> 00:56:37,399
Some of them may have
legitimate,

1418
00:56:37,400 --> 00:56:39,667
viable asylum claims, and they
will go through

1419
00:56:39,667 --> 00:56:43,633
the asylum process, but the
vast majority of them will

1420
00:56:43,633 --> 00:56:46,700
be detained and removed and
that is according

1421
00:56:46,700 --> 00:56:48,834
to the laws of this country.

1422
00:56:48,834 --> 00:56:50,232
And that is not the
interpretation

1423
00:56:50,233 --> 00:56:53,233
of the laws that are being
shared by these individuals

1424
00:56:53,233 --> 00:56:55,066
that have very bad intentions.

1425
00:56:55,066 --> 00:56:56,165
The Press: Right.

1426
00:56:56,166 --> 00:56:58,800
And so the overall goal of
these beefed

1427
00:56:58,800 --> 00:57:04,533
up procedural facilities --
judges, attorneys,

1428
00:57:04,533 --> 00:57:08,100
asylum advisors -- is to run the
people through that process

1429
00:57:08,100 --> 00:57:09,100
and get them back home?

1430
00:57:09,100 --> 00:57:10,633
Mr. Earnest: That's right,
and make sure that

1431
00:57:10,633 --> 00:57:14,100
justice is administered swiftly
and efficiently.

1432
00:57:14,100 --> 00:57:18,433
The Press: Josh, there was
another transition

1433
00:57:18,433 --> 00:57:19,934
this week and that was the
President's

1434
00:57:19,934 --> 00:57:22,834
first headlining of a
super PAC fundraiser.

1435
00:57:22,834 --> 00:57:24,633
What is the President
doing

1436
00:57:24,633 --> 00:57:25,700
on the other side of the equation?

1437
00:57:25,700 --> 00:57:29,332
What is he doing to limit
unlimited spending

1438
00:57:29,333 --> 00:57:32,834
on campaign financing all
around the country?

1439
00:57:33,233 --> 00:57:35,266
Mr. Earnest: Well, the
President's support

1440
00:57:35,266 --> 00:57:38,834
for campaign finance
reform is well known.

1441
00:57:38,834 --> 00:57:40,966
Unfortunately, that is
support that

1442
00:57:40,967 --> 00:57:43,200
is not broadly shared on the
other side of the aisle.

1443
00:57:43,200 --> 00:57:44,866
So it's something the
President will continue

1444
00:57:44,867 --> 00:57:47,633
to push for and
pursue and support.

1445
00:57:47,633 --> 00:57:52,533
But we've not seen a
willing partner

1446
00:57:52,533 --> 00:57:53,533
on the other side of
the aisle

1447
00:57:53,533 --> 00:57:54,533
at this point.

1448
00:57:54,533 --> 00:57:55,266
The Press: Is there an
opportunity for some

1449
00:57:55,266 --> 00:57:56,533
pen and phone action when it
comes

1450
00:57:56,533 --> 00:57:57,866
to campaign finance reform?

1451
00:57:57,867 --> 00:57:59,033
Is there anything the
President

1452
00:57:59,033 --> 00:58:00,667
can do without -- there are so
many things

1453
00:58:00,667 --> 00:58:03,266
that you're saying he can't do,
so what can he do?

1454
00:58:03,633 --> 00:58:06,767
Mr. Earnest: Well, I don't
know the answer to that,

1455
00:58:06,767 --> 00:58:11,366
but if there is, and it's
one the President

1456
00:58:11,367 --> 00:58:14,767
decides to choose to pursue,
you'll be among

1457
00:58:14,767 --> 00:58:15,866
the first to know.

1458
00:58:15,867 --> 00:58:18,033
The Press: But doesn't it
appear that he's striding

1459
00:58:18,033 --> 00:58:19,667
confidently in the other
direction

1460
00:58:19,667 --> 00:58:20,834
when he's headlining a
fundraiser

1461
00:58:20,834 --> 00:58:21,899
for unlimited donations?

1462
00:58:21,900 --> 00:58:23,500
Mr. Earnest:
No, it doesn't.

1463
00:58:23,500 --> 00:58:26,900
I think what it
demonstrates is that

1464
00:58:26,900 --> 00:58:31,200
this President is committed to
supporting those

1465
00:58:31,200 --> 00:58:36,165
who share his political agenda
in the upcoming elections

1466
00:58:36,166 --> 00:58:38,533
and that one of the ways that
he can help those

1467
00:58:38,533 --> 00:58:42,000
who support his agenda of
expanding economic

1468
00:58:42,000 --> 00:58:43,667
opportunity for the middle
class

1469
00:58:43,667 --> 00:58:45,133
is to help them raise money.

1470
00:58:45,133 --> 00:58:46,866
And that's what the
President is doing.

1471
00:58:46,867 --> 00:58:50,133
But it does not in any way
affect his continued

1472
00:58:50,133 --> 00:58:52,899
and unwavering support for
campaign finance reform

1473
00:58:52,900 --> 00:58:56,200
that would reduce the
influence of special

1474
00:58:56,200 --> 00:59:00,200
interest money in politics
and give more citizens

1475
00:59:00,200 --> 00:59:02,399
a louder voice in a
political process.

1476
00:59:02,400 --> 00:59:03,633
And, Mike, I'm going to
give you the last one.

1477
00:59:03,834 --> 00:59:04,533
The Press: All
right, thank you.

1478
00:59:04,533 --> 00:59:08,533
There is a report from
Reuter's that Syria

1479
00:59:08,533 --> 00:59:10,600
has told the U.N. General

1480
00:59:10,600 --> 00:59:11,967
Assembly -- I'm
sorry,

1481
00:59:11,967 --> 00:59:16,100
the Security Council -- that it
will consider humanitarian

1482
00:59:16,100 --> 00:59:19,400
deliveries in the rebel
areas as an attack.

1483
00:59:19,400 --> 00:59:21,800
Is the administration
aware of this,

1484
00:59:21,800 --> 00:59:23,133
and do you have a reaction?

1485
00:59:24,040 --> 00:59:25,340
Mr. Earnest: I'm sure the
administration

1486
00:59:25,340 --> 00:59:27,000
is aware of it.

1487
00:59:27,200 --> 00:59:28,700
I personally am not, so
we'll have

1488
00:59:28,700 --> 00:59:30,600
to see if we can get you an
answer to that question.

1489
00:59:30,600 --> 00:59:32,366
It may be worth checking
with my colleagues

1490
00:59:32,367 --> 00:59:35,667
in the U.S. Ambassador's Office

1491
00:59:35,667 --> 00:59:36,667
at the
United Nations

1492
00:59:36,667 --> 00:59:38,933
and they may be able to provide
you a more detailed

1493
00:59:38,934 --> 00:59:39,467
position on it.

1494
00:59:39,767 --> 00:59:40,366
The Press: Thanks, Josh.

1495
00:59:40,600 --> 00:59:41,567
The Press: Week ahead?

1496
00:59:42,033 --> 00:59:43,100
Mr. Earnest: Let's
do the week ahead.

1497
00:59:43,100 --> 00:59:45,500
We've got a note here.

1498
00:59:45,834 --> 00:59:47,165
The Press: A new joke?

1499
00:59:47,166 --> 00:59:50,400
(laughter)

1500
00:59:50,400 --> 00:59:50,834
The Press: Did
you rewrite it?

1501
00:59:50,834 --> 00:59:51,567
(laughter)

1502
00:59:51,567 --> 00:59:51,800
Mr. Earnest: No, it's
going to be a while

1503
00:59:51,800 --> 00:59:53,934
before I try to tell a joke from
here again,

1504
00:59:53,934 --> 00:59:55,100
I'll tell you that.

1505
00:59:55,100 --> 00:59:55,667
(laughter)

1506
00:59:56,000 --> 00:59:56,800
The Press: Well,
the Royals are hot.

1507
00:59:56,800 --> 00:59:57,767
You've got that
going for you.

1508
00:59:57,767 --> 00:59:58,100
Mr. Earnest: They are.

1509
00:59:58,100 --> 00:59:58,767
I've got that
going for me.

1510
00:59:59,200 --> 01:00:00,100
The Press: Josh,
can I ask --

1511
01:00:00,333 --> 01:00:01,266
Mr. Earnest: No, I think
I'm just going

1512
01:00:01,266 --> 01:00:02,166
to do the week ahead.

1513
01:00:02,433 --> 01:00:04,200
On Monday, the President
will participate

1514
01:00:04,200 --> 01:00:07,265
in the Summit on Working
Families to focus on creating

1515
01:00:07,266 --> 01:00:09,166
a 21st century workplace
that works

1516
01:00:09,166 --> 01:00:10,934
for all Americans.

1517
01:00:10,934 --> 01:00:13,133
This will be at the Omni
Hotel here in Washington, D.C.

1518
01:00:13,133 --> 01:00:14,500
The Vice President,
the First Lady

1519
01:00:14,500 --> 01:00:16,567
and Dr. Biden will
also participate.

1520
01:00:17,166 --> 01:00:19,967
On Tuesday, the President
will host the 2013

1521
01:00:19,967 --> 01:00:22,033
President's Cup teams
at the White House.

1522
01:00:22,433 --> 01:00:25,066
On Wednesday, the
President will

1523
01:00:25,066 --> 01:00:27,734
have lunch with Israeli
President Shimon Peres

1524
01:00:27,734 --> 01:00:29,266
here at the White House.

1525
01:00:29,266 --> 01:00:32,300
Afterward, he'll welcome
Jimmy Johnson to honor

1526
01:00:32,300 --> 01:00:35,567
him for his 2013 NASCAR Sprint
Cup Series championship.

1527
01:00:35,867 --> 01:00:37,200
The Press: I was hoping
to see (inaudible).

1528
01:00:39,333 --> 01:00:39,867
Mr. Earnest: Dallas Cowboy
fans will have to wait

1529
01:00:39,867 --> 01:00:41,166
for another day for
that, I guess.

1530
01:00:41,400 --> 01:00:42,800
The Press: (Inaudible).

1531
01:00:43,200 --> 01:00:45,033
Mr. Earnest: Well
-- them, too.

1532
01:00:45,033 --> 01:00:46,000
On Thursday, the
President will travel

1533
01:00:46,000 --> 01:00:48,433
to Minneapolis, Minnesota --
I know the White House

1534
01:00:48,433 --> 01:00:50,333
Chief of Staff is very
excited about that trip.

1535
01:00:50,333 --> 01:00:54,000
And on Friday, we'll have
a little more detail

1536
01:00:54,000 --> 01:00:57,200
about the schedule on
Friday a little later.

1537
01:00:57,200 --> 01:00:59,433
So we're still working up
some details on Friday.

1538
01:00:59,667 --> 01:01:00,900
The Press: He's still
overnighting in Minneapolis?

1539
01:01:00,900 --> 01:01:02,433
Mr. Earnest: That
is still the plan.

1540
01:01:02,433 --> 01:01:06,433
That is still the plan.

1541
01:01:06,433 --> 01:01:07,500
Thanks, everybody.

1542
01:01:07,500 --> 01:01:08,100
Have a great weekend.

1543
01:01:08,100 --> 01:01:09,620
We'll see you on Monday.