Remember back when Democrats were screaming and caterwauling about former President Donald Trump’s effort to build a wall on the southern border to decrease illegal immigration? They called him and his supporters xenophobic and racist for daring to suggest such a thing. But now, under President Joe Biden, it appears they are a little more confused on the issue.

The Biden administration on Wednesday announced that it would be waiving more than two dozen federal laws in order to continue construction on the wall in South Texas. RedState’s Bob Hoge wrote:

Here's the newest plan, as announced by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas:

The Biden administration announced they waived 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow border wall construction on Wednesday, marking the administration’s first use of a sweeping executive power employed often during the Trump presidency.

The Department of Homeland Security posted the announcement on the U.S. Federal Registry with few details outlining the construction in Starr County, Texas, which is part of a busy Border Patrol sector seeing “high illegal entry.” According to government data, about 245,000 illegal entries have been recorded in this region during the current fiscal year.

This move contradicts what President Biden originally argued when he said walls do not work. The discrepancy also put White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in a sticky situation while answering questions on the matter during the Thursday briefing.

A reporter spoke up and noted that the announcement was “posted on the Federal Register overnight on October 4th” and that the president answered “no” when asked if the border wall is effective at limiting illegal border crossings. “So who's right? The statement from the DHS secretary overnight, or the President's comments today saying they don't work?” the reporter asked.

Jean-Pierre put on a brand new pair of tap dancing shoes and started working her way around the question, claiming that the announcement was “from six months ago.”

However, the reporter pointed out that the waiving of the federal laws to allow construction was new.

“Well, what I'm saying is DHS announced this back in June, that the agency would do so,” Jean-Pierre responded.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre tries desperately to explain why the Biden administration is constructing a wall in South Texas while the president continues to claim walls don't work.

"He has said that he does not believe a border wall is effective." pic.twitter.com/T94CbNAf2B

— Jeff Charles, An Awful Pundit🏴 (@jeffcharlesjr) October 5, 2023

She continued:

What I can tell you is DHS announced this back in June that they were going to move forward with this. That's what I can share with you. That's what I know is to be true and is to be fact. Look, I can speak for the President. The President said he was asked directly. He doesn't believe a border wall is effective.

The reporter pressed the issue, asking if Biden has a “disagreement” with his Homeland Security secretary.

The press secretary answered: “What I want to tell you what the president... I want to tell you what the president said and what your colleague asked him. He said, no, he doesn't believe that the border wall is effective.”

Jean-Pierre tried to explain away the contradiction by blaming Congress for refusing the reappropriate the funds used for the border wall, and claimed that the White House is simply complying with the legislature:

I'm speaking for the President. I'm saying that he has said, that he does not believe a border wall is effective. That's what he was asked. He has said that for some time now, and it still remains to be the case. He asked Congress multiple times. His team has asked Congress to reappropriate the funds. They refuse to do that. We're going to comply.

That didn’t go too well, did it?

This exchange highlights the situation in which the Biden administration has placed itself. The president was one of many on the left criticizing Trump and others for taking a more hawkish stance on illegal immigration. Yet, since taking office, Biden has failed to offer meaningful solutions to address the matter after rescinding most of his predecessor’s immigration policies.

Now, the border crisis has forced them to essentially admit Trump was right and continue some of his policies without appearing as if they agree with him, which is why we are seeing this mixed messaging coming from the White House. Basically, they are going to continue building the wall while also saying that it’s a bad idea, which only makes them look even more foolish.