Fox News’ White House reporter Peter Doocy has clashed with press secretary Jen Psaki in a heated exchange about pregnant women at the US-Mexico border.

       At Thursday’s press briefing, Doocy asked about the situation at the border, where migrants routinely try to enter the United States.

       “We’re being told by our people on the ground that you’re releasing pretty much all family units,” said Doocy. “Couples where the woman says that she is pregnant, or single women who say that they are pregnant and that no one has to actually take a pregnancy test unless they want to, so…”

       “Are you suggesting that you don’t believe when women say they’re pregnant?” asked Ms Psaki. “Is that a big issue? We think, at the border?”

       “I’m not in charge of keeping the border secure,” Doocy responded.

       “Do you think pregnant women are posing a big threat to the border?” Ms Psaki asked. “To the border communities – is that a big issue?”

       “You tell me,” said Doocy.

       “I’m not aware of pregnant women being a big issue of concern to people at the border,” said Ms Psaki. “What I will note for you, Peter, is that, as I said earlier, there is a process. If people cannot be expelled under Title 42 for a range of reasons. Some of that is that countries they came from or other countries, including Mexico, may not be accepting families with children under the age of seven. They are placed in removal proceedings. Those removal proceedings require them to either go to a detention facility or require them to go get a notice to appear and including their biometric data and otherwise so that we can ensure where they are.”

       Title 42 of the Public Health Service Act gives federal health officials the power to expel anyone who has recently been in a country with a contagious disease.

       It is ostensibly in place to prevent the spread of Covid, but critics say it was used as an unofficial anti-immigration measure by the Trump administration and is continuing to be used as such under Joe Biden.

       Nonetheless Fox News and other right-wing voices have accused the current administration of allowing too many people into the US.