Patty Murray has said, under
new circumstances, we need a new proposal. We cannot just enact the
previous Alexander-Murray bill because of the change our Republican
colleagues made to the healthcare system. Then, of course, there is the DACA issue. That is going to require
further compromise. There are many Republicans in this Chamber who want
to enshrine DACA protections into law--as every Democrat does--just as
there are many Democrats who would pass additional border security
measures into law--smart, reasonable, and practical border measures. A
deal on this issue can be reached if both parties are committed to
good-faith negotiations. The problem thus far has been President Trump's insistence on a
completely ineffective and absurdly expensive wall as part of any deal
on DACA. In fact, we learned this morning, in a stunning New York Times
article by Ron Nixon, that the Trump administration is proposing to cut
back from smart border security measures to pay for a border wall. I
ask unanimous consent that the article by Mr. Nixon in the New York
Times be printed in the Record at the conclusion of my remarks. According to the Times, which reviewed internal budget guidance from
the OMB, the Trump administration would cut or delay funding for border
surveillance, cut or delay funding for radar technology, patrol boats,
and, maybe more crucially, Customs officers, all to ask taxpayers to
pay for the wall--funding to upgrade surveillance aircraft, extremely
effective at stopping illegal crossing at the border, particularly
drugs, denied; funding to hire new Customs officers, denied; funding
for video surveillance with infrared cameras in areas with high
incidents of border crossings, cut to ``offset the
costs of Presidential priorities.'' What an absurd proposition. Security experts have testified for decades that effective border
security includes a variety of technologies and resources, drones,
infrared sensors, Customs and Border Patrol agents, and officers. In
some places, secure fence is appropriate. We agree with that. These
were all ideas included in comprehensive immigration reform. That the
Trump administration would cannibalize funding for these smart border
security measures to pay for a wall that will not work makes no sense. He said he campaigned on it. Oh, no, Mr.
Keywords matched
immigration Border Patrol DACA border
security border wall border crossing border security