On Friday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “Jose Diaz-Balart Reports,” Rep. Veronica Escobar (D-TX) argued that “with the exception of family separation, virtually all Trump border policies are still in place today.” And things on the border have gotten worse because of Republican policies.
Escobar stated, “Republicans continue to complain that they want Trump policies reinstated. The fact of the matter is, Jose, with the exception of family separation, virtually all Trump border policies are still in place today. And not only are we not seeing a slowdown in migration, not only are we [not] seeing things — a more orderly process at the border, but we’re actually seeing the opposite. Why is that? Well, I have talked to my community at great length. I published an op-ed in this past Sunday’s El Paso Times, saying that really what we are seeing at the border is a result of Republican strategy, which is, for the last few decades, Republicans want to address immigration only at the border. They refuse to open up legal pathways. They refuse to do their job and legislate around immigration. In fact, Jose, as you and I have talked about, the last time Congress acted on immigration was almost 30 years ago. And 30 years ago, what happened was Congress passed and then-President Clinton signed, limiting legal pathways. So, we have gone in the opposite direction. We’ve gone in the Republican direction, limiting legal pathways and border-only policies. That is a failure. And that’s why we’re seeing what we’re seeing today at the border.”
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