Speaker Johnson reveals the excuse Biden gave him in private for not taking action on border crisis: ‘Just simply not true’

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R) revealed on Wednesday that President Joe Biden blamed Mexico for his inaction on the border crisis.

Speaking with Fox News host Sean Hannity, Johnson explained that while meeting with Biden at the White House, he personally informed the president of what executive action he can take to alleviate the border crisis.

But, according to Johnson, Biden denied that he can take executive action to reinstate Trump-era policies like “Remain in Mexico” because Mexican officials oppose the policies.

“The president has the executive authority to fix it right now. I told him at the White House yesterday — one-on-one, and in the group — I told him, ‘Mr. President, if you just issue an executive order that reinstates “Remain in Mexico,” sir— your agents told us it would reduce the flow by 70%. Almost overnight because the message would go out throughout the world, “Don’t waste your life savings on a cartel. They’re not going to be able to get you over the line. Stay where you are. Stay in Mexico, stay in a safe third country,”‘” Johnson explained.

When Biden allegedly denied having the authority to take such action, Johnson recounted his objection.

“I said, ‘That’s just simply not true. President Trump did it; why can’t you do it?’ He said, ‘Oh, Mexico doesn’t want that,'” Johnson revealed. “Well, you’re the president of the United States— you should act like it.”

Speaker Mike Johnson: Biden has the executive authority to fix thiswww.youtube.com

To Johnson’s point, Hannity pointed out the fact that Biden used executive action at the beginning of his presidency to rescind Trump-era immigration policies.

The implication, of course, is that if Biden can use executive authority to rescind policy, certainly he can take action to enact policy.

Not only can Biden use executive action to stymie the migrant crisis, but existing law empowers the president with unique authority to act in times of crisis.

Section 1182(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, for example, states:

Whenever the President finds that the entry of any aliens or of any class of aliens into the United States would be detrimental to the interests of the United States, he may by proclamation, and for such period as he shall deem necessary, suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate.

Still, Biden is reportedly planning to use executive authority for maximum political impact.

Any action could come as early as Thursday when Biden visits Brownsville, Texas. The city is technically on the border, but it sits far away from the epicenter of the border crisis.