Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) said on CBS, “Face the Nation” accused former President Donald Trump of causing the current crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border by “systematic dismantling of the asylum system.”
Partial transcript as follows:
BRENNAN: On immigration, I want to ask you, President Obama, as you recall, was heavily criticized. He was even called the deporter-in-chief. President Biden now is coming under heavy criticism for this crisis at the US border. From where you sit, does the administration need to send a stronger message to discourage migrants from making the trek to the US?
DUCKWORTH: Well, let’s- let’s make that clear. We have a situation at the border, and that is as a result of four years of failed policies, inhumane policies and a systematic dismantling of the asylum system by Donald Trump. We all saw what Donald Trump can do in terms of damages in a single day on Jan 6. And he’s had four years to basically undermine our nation’s immigration system. He dismantled–
BRENNAN: But they’re coming now.
DUCKWORTH: Right. But they- but you know what? It’s- as a result of him dismantling the asylum system and the pathways to- for seeking asylum that used to exist, I know that President Biden is going to be committed to repairing that system that Donald Trump broke in order to make it not only work better, but also to make it humane so that these kids and other migrants can actually apply for asylum in their home countries without coming here. You know, Donald Trump stopped aid to the Northern Triangle countries. He did everything he could to dismantle the system which led to the crisis we’re in now.
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