Katie Pavlich: This was government propaganda 101
'The Five' co-hosts discuss President Biden's first trip to the southern border and reports El Paso cleared migrant camps ahead of his visit.
The Biden administration was criticized Monday following reports homeless migrant encampments were cleared out in parts of El Paso prior to President Biden's visit.
On "The Five," host Greg Gutfeld compared the reports to a bad apartment tenant trying to cover up damages before moving out.
"The Biden clean-up is just like what lousy tenants do when they move out in order to save their deposit," he said. "You know, you get the fresh coat of paint over the bloodstains – then go to Albertson's and rent the giant special vacuum that sucks up hair and teeth."
Gutfeld said the difference, however, is that the American people are the "landlords" in this situation, and they are able to watch the proverbial quick touch-ups being done in real time.
BORDER PATROL UNION RIPS BIDEN'S BORDER VISIT; SAYS EL PASO CLEANED UP JUST IN TIME
US President Joe Biden speaks with a member of the US Border Patrol as they walk along the US-Mexico border fence in El Paso, Texas, on January 8, 2023. (JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)
Biden could benefit from the sudden enforcement and clean-up, he said, noting the president could now point to the current state of the area and say that everything is in place and working efficiently on the border.
"And he'll get away with it because the media doesn't care," Gutfeld noted.
Co-host Jesse Watters added Biden is not on a "fact-finding mission" at the border, but a "fact-hiding" one.
BIDEN ANNOUNCES BORDER VISIT, NEW MEASURES AS PRESSURE GROWS OVER OVERWHELMING MIGRANT SURGE
Many migrants are expected to sleep on the streets overnight Tuesday despite temperatures in the lower 30s. (Fox News)
"You want to show the president what it's like, not hide from the president the reality of the situation. So then you can go back to Washington and say, ‘This is what we need to do’," he said.
"He did a photo-op at the wall he defunded: Think about that. And he thinks this is some sort of success story. He defunded that wall, and a day ago, there were about 50 migrants sitting there, and then they clear them all out."
The Border Patrol union is also slamming Biden’s trip, remarking on the reported clean-up.
"El Paso being cleaned up as if nothing unusual ever happened there," the National Border Patrol Council tweeted Friday. "Just in time for Biden's ‘visit to the border.’"
"We suggest just landing in Des Moines, Iowa and telling him it's El Paso. He'll never know the difference," the union wrote.
Fox News' Jessica Chasmar contributed to this report.