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Border wall talks are stalled. Wait until you hear what Dems are blaming it on this time.

February 10, 2019 | | Print Article

 

(Video screenshot)

Discussions to avert another potential government shutdown appear to be at an impasse because of a disagreement over U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s activities and because of a refusal by congressional Democrats to provide the full $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump seeks to begin construction of a wall along the southern U.S. border.

However, Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney seemed to suggest Sunday that the president may be willing to accept less funding. Why? Because he has other methods he can use to acquire the rest of the funds needed to begin construction of the wall.

“The president is going to build the wall … we will take as much money as you can give us and then we will go find money someplace else legally in order to secure that southern barrier. But this is going to get built with or without Congress,” he said on “Fox News Sunday” to host Chris Wallace.

Listen to the relevant portion of the discussion below:

He explained that Trump has an action available to him called “reprogramming”: “There is money that he can get at and is legally allowed to spend, and I think it needs to be said again and again, all of this is going to be legal. There are statutes on the books as to how any president can do this.”

When asked by Wallace whether “reprogramming” would require that the president declare a  national emergency — an option that some conservatives worry would set a dangerous precedent — Mulvaney appeared to say it depends on how much money Democrats offer.

“There are certain funds of money he can get to without declaring a national emergency and other funds he can only get to after declaring a national emergency.”

“How much could he get without declaring?” Wallace prodded.

“That remains to be seen. Let’s talk about the whole pot. The whole pot is well north of $5.7 billion,” Mulvaney, highlighting the $25+ billion required to build the entire wall.

It’s unclear whether he meant that the president could obtain the full $25+ billion in funding through “reprogramming” alone. If that’s what he meant, then why doesn’t he just do that?

Regarding the ongoing discussions over border security, according to Democrats the impasse is a result of Senate Republicans refusing to compromise vis-à-vis ICE’s enforcement policies.

“Talks have broken down because Senate Republicans are refusing to compromise on limits to the Trump administration’s cruel immigration policies,” a senior Democrat aide said to Fox News.

“A deal that includes new physical barriers must also include limits on the number of ICE detention beds. If Senate Republicans won’t compromise with us on both, we can’t reach a deal.”

More ICE detention beds are needed to house the influx of migrants that keep applying for asylum at the border. Democrats oppose the detention of migrants because they believe those who apply for asylum deserve to reside in America’s communities and neighborhoods as they wait for approval.

The problem is that a large number of migrants who’re released onto the streets during the asylum process never return for their court dates, choosing instead to blend into society as criminal aliens.

Of course, none of this would even be a problem if congressional Democrats and their allies in the judicial branch would simply allow Trump to fully implement his tough but fair immigration policies, which call for limiting asylum claims, erecting a border wall, etc.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

A GOP source reportedly pushed back on the Democrat aide’s complaints, claiming the impasse is over an enforcement cap that Democrats seek to impose on ICE. The cap would prevent it from taking certain actions against criminal aliens, including even violent/dangerous ones.

“I think the talks are stalled right now,” Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Richard Shelby, a Republican, said to Fox. “I’m hoping we can get off the dime later today or in the morning, because time is ticking away, but we’ve got some problems with the Democrats dealing with ICE, that is detaining criminals that come into the U.S. and they want a cap on them. We don’t want a cap on that.”

Neither does the National Sheriffs’ Association (NSA) and the Major Country Sheriffs of America.

Democrats continue to do this over and over again, i.e., place the interests of criminal aliens (including MS-13 gang members and rapists) over the interests of the American people.

At this rate it seems like it’d take a miracle for any legitimate deal to be reached between congressional Republicans and congressional Democrats to avert another shutdown and secure the border.

But in case that doesn’t happen, it appears Trump has a backup plan ready to roll, or at least according to what Mulvaney said Sunday on Fox News. Those who agree with the president about the dangers of unrestrained illegal immigrant are just hoping that he meant every word.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’RE MISSING …

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Vivek Saxena
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