Posted on 01/09/2019 5:46:35 PM PST by jazusamo
Congressional Democratic leaders have embraced the goal of increased border security in their fight with President Trump, proposing measures to harden the U.S. ports of entry — but omitting the barrier they supported five years ago.
The ports of entry, which account for roughly 2.5 percent of the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border, represent a small fraction of the security measures, including hundreds of miles of border fence, that every Senate Democrat supported before Donald Trump became president.
Democrats now are limiting the security measures they back to sending more customs officials and deploying new technology at the 48 ports of entry or border crossings where cars and trucks line up to seek legal entry into the U.S.
The effort likely would help combat the flow of opioids and other narcotics into the U.S., helping achieve a top priority for the Trump administration.
The proposals, however, don’t include the fence demanded by Mr. Trump to help secure areas of the border that stretch across vast desert wilderness.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outlined the Democrats’ vision of border security Tuesday night in a televised response to Mr. Trump’s prime-time address about what he called a “humanitarian and security crisis” on the border.
Mrs. Pelosi said everyone agrees on the need to secure the border.
“We can build the infrastructure and roads at our ports of entry. We can install new technology to scan cars and trucks for drugs coming into our nation. We can hire the personnel we need to facilitate trade and immigration at the border. We can fund more innovation to detect unauthorized crossings,” she said.
Congressional Democrats often cite drones as a prime example of the innovative technologies available for the rest of the border, but no specific plans have been laid out.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Schumer and Pelosi both voted to give $500 million for the Israel Wall just last year.
Kids, just say no to botox.
That’s like wrapping your big toe in saran wrap to keep from getting all wet in the swimming pool.
Beefing up ports of entry security could certainly substantially reduce the flow of illegal drugs into the country. Barriers are necessary, but so are beefed up examinations of vehicles entering the country.
Why though? The left has been saying their is no border crisis, etc. If that’s the case, why they need to fortify ports of entry?
Agreed. Let’s “compromise” and do both.
I agree...Beef up security at ports of entry and build the wall.
Their only specific plan is to not actually secure the border.
It should not be either/or.
It should be yes/yes.
Greatly improve security/screening at the legal ports of entry AND build the WALL.
Bush I lost reelectikn because he broke his read my lips promise. They desperately want Frump to do the same. It would be good for about an 8 point swing in 2020. And Trump knows that.
They will never give in to the wall, unless Trump has an even bigger stick than that potential reward for them.
Trump will tell them one last time to give him the wall, or he’ll declare an emergency, and then it will be done. They might fold then, in trade dor DACA etc. Maybe.
NONE of these mouthy Dems are willing to actually GO TO THE BORDER & see for themselves what is happening there.
More port of entry union jobs for her base.
That’s so they can hassle regular US citizens coming back into the country.
What else?
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