When a building collapses, who do you turn to for advice on structural integrity? If you’re The New York Times (NYT), you promote the word of the remorseless architect responsible for the rubble.
“I Was One of Biden’s Border Advisers. Here’s How to Fix Our Immigration System.”
That’s not the Babylon Bee, but a sincere NYT headline for a guest essay by Blas Nuñez-Neto. Nuñez-Neto was an “assistant secretary for border and immigration policy at the Department of Homeland Security [DHS]” during former President Joe Biden’s administration. (RELATED: Joe Biden’s Border Failures Come Back To Haunt Trump At Time Of Crisis)
The headline was roundly mocked on X.
“I hosted Fyre Fest. Here’s how to run a musical fest,” wrote one user.
“This is like an arsonist saying they know how to put out fire,” scorned another.
“I was Humpty Dumpty. Here’s how to sit on a wall,” posted DHS’ official X account.
Even Vice President J.D. Vance joined in on the fun, reading the headline to the crowd at a Pennsylvania rally.
JD Vance Roasts NYT’s Biden Border Adviser Op-Ed
Yes, our Vice President is active on the internet, and yes, he sees your memes.@VP JD Vance joked about a viral @nytimes article titled “I Was One of Biden’s Border Advisers. Here’s How to Fix Our Immigration System,” today at a… pic.twitter.com/zzgw86AY4d
— The Daily Signal (@DailySignal) July 16, 2025
“What would he know about fixing our immigration system?” Vance questioned. “It was the Biden administration that broke our immigration system. So we’ve been having a little bit of fun around the office.”
Vance went on to read DHS’ “Humpty Dumpty” post before referencing another headline spoof.
“This is what a buddy of mine sent me. ‘I’m a Cincinnati Bengals player. Here’s how you win Superbowls,’ and that cut a little deep,” Vance said, referencing this post.
Say what you will about the NYT, but they certainly know how to craft an irresistible provocation.
Nuñez-Neto gestures at accountability, describing the Biden-era “surge in illegal crossings” at the U.S.-Mexico border as “by any reasonable definition, a crisis.”
He quickly pivots to a series of ready scapegoats. America’s “broken immigration laws have increasingly incentivized economic migrants” to claim asylum. A “lack of resources to adequately secure the border.” A “tough, bipartisan” border bill which failed to pass because of political ill-will ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
When all else fails, he points out that Republican presidents, too, have “seen regular surges in migration.”
What solutions does Nuñez-Neto offer?
Testifying before Congress in 2023, Nuñez-Neto praised DHS’ “innovative approach” to skyrocketing illegal migration from Venezuela.
The “safe, orderly,” process involved “U.S.-based supporters provid[ing] financial support for Venezuelan nationals who can be authorized to travel directly to the interior of the United States,” according to his testimony. (RELATED: America’s Migrant Crisis Summed Up In One Preventable Tragedy)
“The Venezuela process significantly reduced irregular migration to the border,” boasted Nuñez-Neto.
Right. Just like marking down car crashes as “vehicular encounters” would significantly reduce on-road collisions.
NYT opinion guest column: “I was one of Biden’s border advisers. Here’s how to fix our immigration system.”@willcain rounds up the internet’s response. pic.twitter.com/JOkz5bHE58
— The Will Cain Show (@WillCainShow_) July 16, 2025
On the same day the NYT guest essay was published, the public received an update on border security, courtesy of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The agency claimed “zero illegal alien releases along [the] southwest border for the second consecutive month,” marking a historic low in recorded illegal crossings. CBP reported “25,228 total encounters nationwide” in June, which, they wrote, is the “lowest monthly total in CBP history.”
But Nuñez-Neto has little praise for President Donald Trump’s leadership.
“The relative quiet on our border has come at the significant cost of eroding our constitutional order,” he moans in his op-ed.
Nuñez-Neto spends much time demonstrating his adeptness in excuse-making. He spends less time demonstrating his ability to make good policy. Or recognize it when he sees it.
Follow Natalie Sandoval on X: @NatSandovalDC