Jan. 4 (UPI) — Amid a 13-day impasse that’s closed several areas of the U.S. government, President Donald Trump on Friday made a pitch to lawmakers that lays out why a wall is needed to secure the southern border.
The president sent a letter to Congress Friday that summarizes the physical barrier he’s asking for along hundreds of miles of the U.S.-Mexico border. Lack of funding for the wall has led to a stalemate in Congress and the partial government shutdown.
“As we begin this new Congress, our first task should be to reopen the government and to deliver on our highest duty as elected officials: the security of the Nation and its borders,” Trump wrote in the letter. “It is the sovereign right of every nation to establish an immigration program in its national interest — lawfully admitting those who have followed the rules, while denying entry to those who break the rules or fail to meet the requirements established in law.”
Trump’s letter came two days after he met with congressional leadership to discuss the impasse. House Democrats, who took control of the chamber Thursday, have said they will offer no money to build the wall.
“During the meeting, there was debate over the nature and extent of this crisis and its impact on Americans. It had been my hope that Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen would have the opportunity to deliver a presentation discussing the facts about the depth and severity of the humanitarian crisis and the security crisis that is now unfolding at the Southern Border,” he added. “However, some of those present did not want to hear the presentation at the time, and so I have instead decided to make the presentation available to all Members of Congress.”
The DHS report includes a number of statistics on crime, drugs and human trafficking.
The report says 17,000 adult migrants who had criminal records were arrested at the border last year. It also says 20,000 minors were smuggled into the United States in December alone, and 3,755 known or suspected terrorists were denied U.S. entry in 2017. About 6,000 gang members, including MS-13, were also arrested at the border, it says.
Trump’s report also said illegal drug smuggling has increased — methamphetamine by 38 percent, heroin by 22 percent and fentanyl by 73 percent.
The president said in his letter it’s important to listen to the officers working on the “front lines.”
“Walls work. That’s why rich, powerful and successful people build them around their homes,” Trump said. “All Americans deserve the same protection.
“The Southern Border is a very dangerous place — in fact, Border Patrol agents routinely encounter some of the most dangerous criminals, cartels, and traffickers anywhere in the world.”
Trump called on the newly-elected 116th Congress to fix “broken promises” on unlawful immigration. He also said facilities that hold migrants are running out of space. Nielsen traveled to the border last week after the deaths of two migrant children in U.S. custody.
“Current funding levels, resources, and authorities are woefully inadequate to meet the scope of the problem,” Trump added. “We are no longer in a status quo situation at the Southern Border but in a crisis situation.
“Americans have endured decades of broken promises on illegal immigration. Now is the time for both parties to rise above the partisan discord, to set aside political convenience, and to put the national interest first.”
