Pennsylvania Sen.
John Fetterman openly rebuked President Joe Bidens border record on Wednesday, aligning himself with tougher enforcement policies as he signaled support for Sen. Markwayne Mullin to lead the Department of Homeland Security.
According to Breitbart, Fetterman used a Senate hearing to distance himself from his partys permissive approach to illegal immigration, bluntly acknowledging public anger over the crisis at the southern border. Americans dont like chaos, Fetterman said to Mullin, adding: America definitely didnt like the kinds of chaos during the Biden administration at the border. As a Democrat, I was alarmed that there were up to 300,000 encounters at our border once a month Thats not sustainable, and thats not manageable, and its making it impossible for us to assimilate [migrants].
The Pennsylvania Democrat, who has increasingly broken with the progressive wing of his party, praised Mullins demeanor even as he pressed for stronger enforcement. My experience with you has been consistent kindness and professionalism, Fetterman told Mullin, adding, Im going to remain with an open mind throughout all this [hearing].
Fetterman then laid out why he has rejected the lefts open-borders posture and its hostility to immigration enforcement, framing the issue as one of basic national security. I refuse to punish and make our nation less secure, he said, adding: If you care about immigration, as I deeply do, you cant possibly provide the American Dream for people when [a population] the size of Pittsburgh [is] showing up at our border once a month. That needs to be brought under control. And that happened [under Donald Trump]. I signed up as a Democrat [for] rounding up all of the criminals and deporting them. I cant imagine why we cant all agree with that as well, too.
He tied the policy debate to real-world tragedies, invoking the names of Americans whose deaths he blamed on government failure. I grieve for Renee Good, and I agree for Alex Pretti, but I also deeply, deeply grieve for Laken Riley and her family. Now all three were failures of our government there. I was proud to be the sponsor of the Laken Riley bill, because we have to address that.
For Fetterman, border security and deporting criminal aliens are not partisan talking points but basic responsibilities of a sovereign nation, a stance more often associated with Republicans than with Democrats. Two things [should] be true here. We [should] have a secure border, and we [should] round up and deport every single criminal in our nation. I cant imagine why thats controversial for anybody.
He also criticized efforts from the left to cripple immigration enforcement by defunding or dismantling key agencies, warning that such moves would only deepen the crisis. I dont understand why you would shut the entire agency down just because you want those kinds of reforms on ICE that have absolutely no impact on ICE, he said, underscoring a growing divide inside the Democratic Party over whether to restore order at the border or continue appeasing radical anti-enforcement activists.
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