Bernie Sanders on Trump’s Border Policies
It’s intriguing to see an octogenarian read the political landscape more astutely than many of his younger peers. Recently, Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders made a striking statement regarding border security.
“Trump did a better job. I don’t like Trump, but we should have a secure border, and it shouldn’t be that hard to do. Biden didn’t do that, and neither did the people before him,” he shared on the October 22 episode of The Tim Dillon Show.
This comment didn’t sit well with some. Leftist journalist Mehdi Hasan took to social media to express his disapproval. “This may be the worst thing Bernie Sanders has ever said, and I say this as a longtime Bernie admirer. Do you admire President Trump’s border policies? Do you support Biden and border security and the lazy right-wing talking point that there is no nation without borders? Sheesh,” he tweeted on October 23rd.
If Hasan’s opinion is an indicator, Sanders might be onto something significant.
Interestingly, Sanders isn’t alone in acknowledging some of Trump’s successes. Democratic Illinois Governor JB Pritzker also noted a decrease in illegal border crossings during Trump’s presidency. “Since President Trump took office, we don’t have the problems that existed before with people coming across the border,” Pritzker told Fox News’ Bret Baier.
Still, Pritzker found a way to assign blame elsewhere, pointing fingers at Republicans. “I asked President Biden to write a public letter to address some of the issues at the border. We were seeing tens of thousands of people coming through,” he explained.
This shift among some Democrats might suggest a growing recognition of issues that have been previously overlooked. House Minority Whip Katherine Clark seems to be distancing herself from the party’s earlier stance. She highlighted a statement that Democrats are not demanding taxpayer benefits for illegal immigrants, urging supporters not to “believe the lies of the Republican Party.”
There’s clearly a notable shift in narrative. Many Democratic legislators are supporting measures that would help illegal immigrants access healthcare, including the HEAL Act for Immigrant Families. The act aims to facilitate access to health insurance for illegal aliens and to challenge state restrictions on Medicaid eligibility for lawful permanent residents.
It’s interesting to observe how the narrative appears to shift. From a time when the sentiment was, “We’re giving illegal aliens taxpayer dollars and that’s justified,” to now claiming they have never supported such measures. One wonders if by 2028 Democrats will be claiming credit for a border wall built brick by brick.
