U.S. Rep. Dr. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) said he supports stronger border and immigration security in the wake of President Donald Trump’s Oval Office address to the nation.
On Tuesday, Trump said, “This is just common sense. The border wall would very quickly pay for itself. The cost of illegal drugs exceeds $500 billion a year vastly more than the $5.7 billion we have requested from Congress. The wall will also be paid for indirectly by the great new trade deal we have made with Mexico.”
In a statement, DesJarlais said:
Weak border security and bad laws are causing a humanitarian crisis at the southern border and in our local communities. Erecting more effective physical barriers would prevent drug and human smuggling into the U.S. We need more border agents and ICE officers, too, but Democrats oppose a wall, a fence and even ICE itself. But over ninety percent of heroin crosses into the U.S. from Mexico, killing Americans, and cartels and gangs are also smuggling women and children. Illegal immigration is overwhelming our court system.
“The President presented these clear facts, including his offers to sign legislation Democrats supported until he took office. Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are now describing the most important issue confronting our country as a diversion and distraction. Tennesseans have been promised border security for years, and I’m 100 percent behind President Trump’s efforts to finally solve the problem.”
Continuing his support for border security, on Wednesday, DesJarlais tweeted, “Democrat leaders say they support border security, but so far, most notable idea is abolishing ICE! It is the open-borders agenda that is most destructive to Americans’ personal and economic security. How could we expect far left to understand importance of a security wall??”
Democrat leaders say they support border security, but so far, most notable idea is abolishing ICE! It is the open-borders agenda that is most destructive to Americans' personal and economic security. How could we expect far left to understand importance of a security wall??
— Scott DesJarlais (@DesJarlaisTN04) January 9, 2019
DesJarlais is the third member of Congress from Tennessee to issue a statement in support of Trump’s Oval Office address.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) voiced their agreement.
Green said, “Tonight, a lot of Americans learned, perhaps for the first time, there is really an urgent crisis and it involves our southern border.”
Blackburn said Trump “is to be commended for holding firm on his commitment to the country to address our broken immigration system.”
[…] of Tennessee’s Congressional delegation who have expressed for Trump’s border plan include U.S. Rep. Scott DesJarlais (R-TN-04) and U.S. Rep. Dr. Mark Green (R-TN-07) and U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn […]