President Trump issued a new warning about the situation on the U.S.-Mexico border following his trip to Texas, warning the country “cannot be safe” without a wall as drugs and human traffickers can flood the country and saying it’s “far worse” than others would understand.
“Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border. I just got back and it is a far worse situation than almost anyone would understand, an invasion! I have been there numerous times – The Democrats, Cryin’ Chuck and Nancy don’t know how bad and dangerous it is for our ENTIRE COUNTRY,” Trump tweeted Friday. “The Steel Barrier, or Wall, should have been built by previous administrations long ago. They never got it done – I will. Without it, our Country cannot be safe. Criminals, Gangs, Human Traffickers, Drugs & so much other big trouble can easily pour in. It can be stopped cold!”
Humanitarian Crisis at our Southern Border. I just got back and it is a far worse situation than almost anyone would understand, an invasion! I have been there numerous times – The Democrats, Cryin’ Chuck and Nancy don’t know how bad and dangerous it is for our ENTIRE COUNTRY….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2019
…The Steel Barrier, or Wall, should have been built by previous administrations long ago. They never got it done – I will. Without it, our Country cannot be safe. Criminals, Gangs, Human Traffickers, Drugs & so much other big trouble can easily pour in. It can be stopped cold!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 11, 2019
Trump traveled to McAllen, Texas, on Thursday to visit the border, during which time he met with immigration officials and received a briefing on border security.
The trip to the U.S.-Mexico border came on the 20th day of the partial government shutdown, which began Dec. 22 when funding for a host of federal agencies lapsed. On Friday, hundreds of thousands of federal workers impacted by the shutdown missed their first paycheck.
The White House and Democrats have been in a standoff over a deal to reopen the federal government, as Trump wants Congress to include $5.7 billion for a wall in a government spending bill, a request Democrats vehemently oppose.
Trump has threatened to declare a national emergency if a deal with Democrats cannot be reached and said Thursday he would “probably” do so if the stalemate continued. Taking such action would allow Trump to invoke emergency powers and redirect funding to build the wall without authorization from Congress.
Throughout the week, the president has made his case to the American people for why a border wall is necessary. On Tuesday, Trump addressed the country in an Oval Office address and warned the situation at the border is a “crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul.”
On Wednesday, he met with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and other congressional leaders at the White House for further negotiations, though the talks imploded after Democrats reiterated their opposition to wall funding, which prompted Trump to walk out of the room.
