In a recent interview, John Kelly, who previously served as Secretary of State under Barack Obama, acknowledged that President Donald Trump had a valid point regarding border security. Kelly stated, “To define a country, the borders must be protected.” He expressed a desire for President Biden to more frequently assert, “I’m going to enforce the law,” reflecting on the importance of immigration policy.
During the discussion, BBC correspondent James Naughty highlighted that Trump had pointed out Kelly’s remarks, essentially agreeing with him on this matter. Kelly concurred, saying, “He was right,” adding that ideally, everyone involved should have been “moving in the same direction” concerning border policies.
Kelly went on to express concerns that Democrats failed to effectively address the issue of immigration and allowed the situation at the border to deteriorate. He mentioned that some Democratic leaders contributed to the issues surrounding illegal immigration, which Trump had opposed. He emphasized that the Democratic Party had, at times, missed the mark and allowed the border situation to be “under siege.”
Naughty later asked Kelly if it would have been beneficial for Biden to announce earlier that he wouldn’t seek re-election. Reflecting on this, Kelly noted, “Looking back, I think it’s pretty clear.” However, when pressed about what the former president might know, Kelly preferred not to speculate. He spoke highly of Biden’s efforts, stating, “He’s my friend and he’s done a hell of a job. I don’t think he gets enough credit for being a great president.”
The conversation attracted attention to recent border statistics, revealing a decrease in illegal crossings, with 5,414 encounters reported between June 1 and June 22. This marked the lowest numbers in recent years. In contrast, numbers had surged under the Biden administration, illustrating ongoing shifts in immigration patterns.
