WATCH: Nancy Pelosi Named ‘Honorary President’ of U.S.-Mexico Border Region

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) was named the “honorary president” of the Rio Grande River which separates Mexico from the United States.

During a press conference and ceremony blasting President Donald Trump’s plan to build a wall along the southern border, Pelosi received the honor from Laredo, Texas, Mayor Pete Saenz.

“While the Republic was short-lived, ten months in all, we still have that spirit of freedom,” Saenz said. “It’s my honor, Madam Speaker, to present to you the keys of our city but also to be the honorary president of the Republic of the Rio Grande.”

Pelosi responded, saying, “I love that” and joked, “Hey, we have a woman president.”

While speaking about illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border, Pelosi said the southern border did not need a wall to stop migrants from being trafficked and widespread drug trafficking, but rather “sophisticated scanning and detection” as well as other “technology” only “where deemed necessary.”

Pelosi also claimed that despite soaring illegal immigration levels and widespread drug trafficking that leads to about 70,000 Americans dying every year from opioids, there is not a crisis at the southern border.

“While there is no emergency at the border, it’s a mythology by the president, not the reality at the border,” Pelosi said. “And so, people have to realize that.”

Pelosi continued, saying a border wall has “no merit in terms of effectiveness” at stopping illegal immigration and drug trafficking, though Homeland Security data suggests that wherever physical barriers are built, illegal immigration is reduced dramatically.

“It has no merit in terms of effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and does not support the values of our country by building walls between countries rather than smart border security where there needs to be more roads, more infrastructure and the rest – put it there, but don’t build a wall,” Pelosi said.

John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.