Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) blamed Republican-sponsored sanctions on Venezuela for the ongoing border crisis that has worsened in recent weeks.
"U.S. sanctions that were originally authored by Marco Rubio … certainly took a large part in the driving of populations to our southern border," Ocasio-Cortez said on CBS News on Sunday.
The self-proclaimed Democratic socialist doubled down on her insistence that sanctions are responsible for the border crisis, saying, "After those broad-based sanctions were enacted, we started seeing dramatic increases in these populations that were coming to our southern border."
After being asked by host Margaret Brennan, Ocasio-Cortez said she "absolutely" agreed that Venezuela's socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro is also to blame.
Border agents encountered more than 10,000 migrants in just one day last week, Fox News reporter Bill Melugin reported, citing Customs and Border Protection sources. Border agents told Fox News last week that they were already nearing a "breaking point."
Reports show the Biden administration knew long ago the surge was coming but didn't act.
President Joe Biden is also playing the blame game. He pointed the finger at Republicans in a speech last week at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s annual gala.
"MAGA Republicans ... spent four years gutting the immigration system under my predecessor," Biden said. "They continue to undermine our border security today."