Remember when leftists pretended that they cared about migrant children being put into cages? It was one of their favorite attacks on the Trump administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration. 

But apparently, they were just kidding about the whole “we’re mad about kids being locked in cages” thing. Of course, we already knew their outrage was fake when most on the left refused to condemn the Obama administration for pioneering the practice. However, Biden’s pick to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) should elicit outrage from progressives who complained about the kids in cages. 

Former vice president Joe Biden is tapping Alejandro Mayorkas to head DHS, which would mean he would be in charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, among other agencies. But Mayorkas, an immigrant from Cuba, has a history that should be troubling for the open borders crowd. The Washington Times reported that “Mr. Mayorkas also was part of Homeland Security’s response to the Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) surge from 2014 and the subsequent family surge.”

From the Times:

“He also was deputy secretary, under Secretary Jeh Johnson, when the department grappled with the first surge of migrant children and families in 2014 and 2015. The department dramatically expanded family detention — from 100 beds to 3,000 — and built the chain-link fence pens, now derided as ‘cages,’ used to hold immigrants who were in the country illegally at the border.”

So, Mayorkas was actively involved in the Obama administration’s policy of putting migrant families, including children, into cages at the border. 

With all their caterwauling and hand-wringing over the Trump administration’s immigration policies, one would think that they would be furious that Biden would select someone who was actively involved in making the practice commonplace. But, instead of being consistent in their criticism, they are lauding the former vice president’s pick. 

Former Democratic presidential candidate Julian Castro celebrated Biden’s pick. “Alejandro Mayorkas is a historic and experienced choice to lead an agency in desperate need of reform. As an immigrant and a creator of the DACA program, he’s well suited to undo Trump’s damage and build a more compassionate and common sense immigration agenda,” he wrote on Twitter. 

Alejandro Mayorkas is a historic and experienced choice to lead an agency in desperate need of reform.

As an immigrant and a creator of the DACA program, he’s well suited to undo Trump’s damage and build a more compassionate and common sense immigration agenda. https://t.co/4pQdJ3q2GT

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) November 23, 2020

But, Castro was one of the Democrats who were most vocal about the kids and cages scandal. Last year, he tweeted: “We don’t have to give in to cruelty. We can have border security and treat people with commonsense and compassion. No more kids in cages. No more children sleeping on the floor without blankets. No more playing games with asylum seekers.”

We don’t have to give in to cruelty. We can have border security and treat people with commonsense and compassion.

No more kids in cages. No more children sleeping on the floor without blankets. No more playing games with asylum seekers. #LJ19

— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) November 2, 2019

Cristóbal Alex, a civil rights lawyer and senior advisor to Biden, also praised Mayorkas’ appointment. “Alejandro Mayorkas, the son of Cuban refugees, has been nominated by President-Elect Biden to serve as Secretary of DHS. He will be the first Latino and immigrant to serve in that position. He is brilliant, thoughtful and kind,” he tweeted. 

Alejandro Mayorkas, the son of Cuban refugees, has been nominated by President-Elect Biden to serve as Secretary of DHS. He will be the first Latino and immigrant to serve in that position. He is brilliant, thoughtful and kind.

Its a new day.

— Cristóbal Alex (@CristobalJAlex) November 23, 2020

Yet, he too had nothing but criticism for Trump when he continued Obama’s border policy. “Trump then created a humanitarian crisis with his failed strategies in response. Separating families. Putting kids in cages. Tear gassing asylum seekers. These Trump policies have led to the deaths of 6 children in US custody!” Alex tweeted. 

Trump then created a humanitarian crisis with his failed strategies in response. Separating families. Putting kids in cages. Tear gassing asylum seekers. These Trump policies have led to the deaths of 6 children in US custody!
(3/4)

— Cristóbal Alex (@CristobalJAlex) June 8, 2019

Lastly, Yamiche Alcindor, a far-left activist poorly-disguised as a journalist, also seemed to favor Mayorkas’ new role. “Alejandro Mayorkas, the first Latino and immigrant nominated to serve as Secretary of DHS who came to the U.S. from Cuba, says: ‘I will work day in night in the service of our nation…and to bring honor to my parents,’” she wrote.

Alejandro Mayorkas, the first Latino and immigrant nominated to serve as Secretary of DHS who came to the U.S. from Cuba, says: "I will work day in night in the service of our nation…and to bring honor to my parents."

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) November 24, 2020

But Alcindor, a vocal critic of the president, also cried “Orange Man Bad” when he used Obama’s cage policy. “For some 3 yrs now, ppl have been asking if there was anything Pres Trump could do that would really, really cross the line. Today we and the president learned that putting kids in cages and separating thousands of immigrant  families  was a step too far for even his own party,” she tweeted.

For some 3 yrs now, ppl have been asking if there was anything Pres Trump could do that would really, really cross the line. Today we and the president learned that putting kids in cages and separating thousands of immigrant families was a step too far for even his own party.

— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) June 20, 2018

So what’s the deal? It’s obvious. Most of the progressives who were a-hootin’ and a-hollerin’ about brown children in cages were putting on a performance worthy of the Oscars. The truth is that for many of these individuals, the kids are nothing more than a means to an end, a political tool to be wielded against a president who they claim is “literally Hitler.” 

If their protests were genuine, they would be furious at Biden for making such a choice when there are plenty of other people who would be qualified. But you know how it goes: Leftists are gonna leftist, right? 

Let me know what you think in the comments below!

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