Last night, President Trump addressed the nation on the crisis at the southern border by outlining the violence, harm, and security threats that are occurring, and praising the border agents who are risking their lives everyday to keep America safe. As evident by Speaker Pelosi’s and Minority Leader Schumer’s response, the Democrats are continuing to let partisan politics control these issues and are failing to acknowledge the humanitarian and national security crisis that exists, and are refusing to provide support to border patrol agents who protect our nation. The Democrats are the sole cause for the partial government shutdown and are ensuring that there are a lack of resources at the southern border.
During the address, President Trump stressed the importance and great need for a wall on the southern border.
[O]ur southern border is a pipeline for vast quantities of illegal drugs, including meth, heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl. Every week, 300 of our citizens are killed by heroin alone, 90 percent of which floods across from our southern border. …
In the last two years, ICE officers made 266,000 arrests of aliens with criminal records, including those charged or convicted of 100,000 assaults, 30,000 sex crimes, and 4,000 violent killings. …
This is a humanitarian crisis — a crisis of the heart and a crisis of the soul. …
Last month, 20,000 migrant children were illegally brought into the United States — a dramatic increase. These children are used as human pawns by vicious coyotes and ruthless gangs. One in three women are sexually assaulted on the dangerous trek up through Mexico.
President Trump asked, as he has done over the last 18 days and arguably since he took office, for Democrats to join him at the White House to “rise above partisan politics in order to support national security” by securing the southern border.
In response to President Trump's address to the nation, Majority Leader McConnell stated:
Tonight, President Trump reaffirmed his commitment to addressing the humanitarian and security crisis at our nation’s southern border. His proposal to increase security through physical barriers suits the reality on the ground. … [I]t simply builds on earlier legislation that Senate Democrats like then-Senator Obama, then-Senator Clinton, and Senator Schumer previously supported with enthusiasm.
The past eighteen days have shown that Democrats’ refusal to negotiate is not due to any principled objection, but simply due to partisan spite for the president. For the men and women of the Border Patrol, for the safety of American families, and for all Americans who deserve a fully operational federal government, I sincerely hope my Democratic colleagues will come to the table and help deliver a solution.
RNLA Chair Manuel Iglesias, made this statement regarding President Trump's address to the nation and the obstruction by the Democrats:
With their opposition to the border wall, the Democrats are reaffirming their commitment to resisting President Trump even at the expense of endangering American citizens. A nation of laws must have the ability to enforce its laws, especially regarding immigration, but the Democrats want us to ignore our laws in favor of their radical policies.
What will it take for Democrats to come to the table and work with their respective Republican leaders of Congress and President Trump? The facts are that America is facing a humanitarian and national security crisis at the southern border and the first step at controlling the crisis is to secure the southern border with a wall.