As the battle rages on between Republicans and Democrats over whether funding will be provided for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, one Democratic representative recently said he wants or would be fine with a “barrier of some type.”
Nassau County, New York Democratic Rep. Tom Suozzi recently appeared on a local news interview along with fellow New Yorker, Republican Rep. Peter King. Discussing the border wall promised by President Donald Trump, both congressmen talked about the potential of striking a spending deal before another potential government shutdown on February 15.
Our "Democratic" Congressman @RepTomSuozzi says the pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants is "dangerous language" and wants a "barrier of some type." Suozzi makes @RepPeteKing look like a progressive. pic.twitter.com/HYUq1UTfIV
— Young Long Island for Justice (@YoungLIJustice) February 6, 2019
“Let’s sit down and try to negotiate a deal. Peter and I can negotiate this deal tomorrow,” Suozzi said, referring to Rep. King who was sitting to his right. “We’ve talked about this many times.”
“I have no problem with money for a barrier of some type,” Suozzi said. “Also radar and ports of entry and work customs officials and immigration judges and all the other stuff.”
Suozzi continued, “The Democrats have been trying to highlight… as well as, tie that with, some immigration reform. So we protect the Dreamers, we protect the temporary protective status folks. We protect more people.”
“Let’s have strong border security, finally, in America,” Suozzi said.
The news host interrupted to ask Suozzi, “Does it have to have a wall?”
“It has to have something. There’s 600 miles of barriers now,” Suozzi replied.
“Let’s have strong border security, finally, in America”
President Trump doubled down on his insistence on a border wall during his State of the Union address Tuesday night, even announcing that he had deployed troops to the U.S.’s southern border.
In December and January, the government shut down over border-wall disagreements. It was the longest shutdown in American history, lasting 35 days. If an agreement is not reached by February 15, the government is scheduled to shut down again.
“Now Republicans and Democrats must join forces again to confront an urgent national crisis,” Trump said in his State of the Union address Tuesday. “Congress has 10 days left to pass a bill that will fund our government, protect our homeland and secure our very dangerous southern border.”
Will Republicans and Democrats come together on this issue? At least one Democrat in New York seems to think border security matters.