Boebert takes out space blanket during Biden speech to draw attention to border surge

Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) displayed a thermal space blanket similar to those distributed to migrants held at detention facilities at the southern border during President Biden’s address to Congress on Wednesday.

A spokesperson for Boebert told The Hill that she was trying to highlight the recent surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

“President Biden did not address or bring attention to the crisis at our southern border. So Rep. Boebert did,” the spokesperson said. 

Boebert tweeted about 30 times providing real-time reactions to Biden’s address, including multiple missives questioning the social distancing measures in place during the event, making references to Biden’s son Hunter and highlighting the surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Biden still hasn’t mentioned the crisis he created at our southern border.

— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) April 29, 2021

The border is a war zone.

— Rep. Lauren Boebert (@RepBoebert) April 29, 2021

Boebert, a firebrand first-term lawmaker, was among the handful of House Republicans in attendance at the speech, which was significantly scaled back from typical presidential addresses because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Reporters in the House chamber noted that the blanket made a loud noise as Boebert draped it over her lap.

Alright, so Lauren Boebert just sort of loudly opened a space blanket—like shook it free so that everyone could hear it in the chamber—and then just draped it on her lap.

I honestly don’t know what it means.

— Matt Fuller (@MEPFuller) April 29, 2021

During his address to Congress, Biden urged lawmakers to pass immigration reform and “get at the root of the problem of why people are fleeing to our southern border” from countries like Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

“Let’s end our exhausting war over immigration,” Biden said.

Biden emphasized that lawmakers should send him legislation to provide legal status for immigrants who came to the U.S. as children, often referred to as “Dreamers,” as well as agricultural laborers and people with temporary protected status. The House passed legislation in March to grant legal status to those groups, but the Senate has yet to consider it.

“Now, if Congress won’t pass my plan — let’s at least pass what we agree on. Congress needs to pass legislation this year to finally secure protection for the Dreamers — the young people who have only known America as their home,” Biden said.