Axios ripped for report claiming open borders is a 'myth' started by conservatives: 'Next level gaslighting'

Social media users took media outlet Axios to task on Tuesday after it reported that despite conservatives’ complaints, the U.S. southern border is "more fortified than it's ever been."

Axios referred to the notion of the border between the U.S. and Mexico being "open" as a "myth," prompting furious response from conservatives who countered with evidence of how bad the migrant crisis is along the border.

The piece accused American conservatives of starting this myth, stating, "As the Biden administration grapples with the soaring number of migrants and asylum-seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border, conservative pundits and politicians have upped accusations that some Democrats support ‘open border’ policies."

It further blamed the right, saying, "An Axios review of news stories found that the ‘open border’ language took off during the Obama administration as conservatives worked to thwart planned immigration reform."

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The outlet continued, "By using the term ‘open border,’ conservatives — including Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, who is seeking the role of House speaker — are suggesting that anyone can get into the U.S. without much hassle. But the reality is that the southern border is more fortified than it's ever been."

Axios cited how "the U.S. has quadrupled the number of Border Patrol agents," "Barriers, walls, and fences have been erected along portions of the 1,951-mile U.S.-Mexico border," and "The Border Patrol regularly breaks border arrest records." The report also said the Biden administration resuming construction of the border wall in south Texas is evidence that the border is being secured, rather than seeing it as having recognized an "immediate need" to stem the surge in the flow of migrants.

Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recorded 260,000 migrants encounters at the border in September alone. It is the highest monthly total ever recorded.

X, formerly known as Twitter, users lambasted the premise of the Axios article. 

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Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin, who has done extensive reporting at the border, denounced the article.

"This is so bad. You can tell whoever wrote this hasn’t spent much time at the border or hasn’t bothered talking to the agents tasked with patrolling it," he wrote. "Ask the 1.6 million + known gotaways how difficult it was to get in w/ chunks of the border unpatrolled while agents process."

"Axios, the well-funded left-wing disinformation org, wants you to believe their lying reporters & not your own eyes that recently witnessed CBP literally cutting down this barbed wire & fist bumping illegal immigrants," Grabien founder Tom Elliott said. 

Former Arizona gubernatorial candidate and current GOP Senate candidate Kari Lake commented, "I covered our border for over 30 years as an honest journalist. I have never seen the situation as bad as it is right now. I left the fake news because of dishonest narratives like this. I'm running for Senate because I know we need to secure our border before it's too late."

Libs of TikTok account owner Chaya Raichik wrote, "This is next level gaslighting."

The Blaze’s digital strategist Logan Hall stated, "’enemy of the people’ doesn’t even begin to accurately describe corporate media. they are much worse than that."

"Open border = turn yourself into CBP, get automatically released into the US. This is the Biden policy. Mass, government-sponsored resettlement of America with limitless millions of illegals," Stephen Miller, former adviser to former President Donald Trump, wrote. 

The story also caused a public feud between Axios associate director of communications Jake Wilkins and his former boss, national public affairs executive vice president of communication strategy Tim Murtaugh.

Murtaugh, who worked for the Trump 2020 campaign, characterized the article as an attempt to help President Biden's dismal polling when it comes to the issue of immigration. 

"Axios clearly reads the same polling as everyone else and concludes that Biden needs help because illegal immigration is a huge issue for voters. What a joke," Murtaugh wrote. 

His criticism prompted a response from Wilkins, his former employee. He accused Murtaugh of seeking attention with the reply, writing, "Tim you’ve been working with reporters long enough to know that’s not at all how this works. Is this just a play for engagement?"

Murtaugh shot back, asking, "Jake, shouldn’t you get back to work placing mentions of yourself in Playbook?" 

"Ha! Probably should, it’d be one more media placement than I ever saw you get," Wilkens responded. 

The tit-for-tat continued with Murtaugh saying, "*sigh* I’ve been your boss twice, Jake, and neither time was it my idea to hire you. Given a choice, I wouldn’t have. You were a leaker and untrustworthy and I presume nothing has changed. And now I’ve wasted about as much time on you as I can spare."

"The sentiment is mutual. have a good one bud!," Wilkens fired back. 

Both Murtaugh and Wilkins didn't immediately respond for comment. 

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