On CNN's “Outfront” broadcast Tuesday, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, said terrorists can now cross the border and the composition of border crossers is changing. He said the border was a “threat” because of the This is a threat simply because many of our cities and communities are overwhelmed with immigrants we cannot support. ” And to get needed border reform, “we need Republicans to come to the table in an honest way.”
Host Erin Burnett said, “I spoke with James Clapper, President Obama's former DNI, the other day. And I asked him if he was concerned about the border, the southern border, especially. , with 250,000 people crossing the border illegally in December, we asked whether it's really a danger of people trying to harm America, whether it's from Russia or Yemen or anywhere. He answered:
Barnett then played a clip of Clapper and said: The composition of people crossing borders has changed considerably since my time and is now more cosmopolitan. There are also Chinese, Russians and others. … [T]He is a serious national security concern. ”
Then she asked, “Congressman, do you agree with his opinion?”
Smith replied: Agree. That's why borders are a threat. It's also a threat simply because so many cities and communities are overwhelmed by immigrants we can't support. Look, we need to reform border policy, and the irony is that House Republicans are now saying they won't support the negotiations that Senate Republicans are working on to get a border policy agreement because they don't want to lose. Some of the obstacles are political challenges for President Biden in this election year. Yes, we need border reform, but to get there we need Republicans to come to the table in an honest way. ”
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