Congressman Gonzalez Claps Back at President Trump’s Threat to Shut Down U.S.-Mexico Border

WASHINGTON – Congressman Vicente Gonzalez (TX-15) today issued the following statement in response to President Donald J. Trump's threat to shut down the U.S.-Mexico Border amidst weeks of the Administration's poor immigration and border security decisions.

"Remember when President Trump enacted a zero tolerance policy that ripped apart thousands of migrant family units, failed to properly process detainees, and ignored the thousands of backlogged vacant DHS positions? I do. The thousands of separated children who cried while incarcerated do too. Remember when his Department of Homeland Security announced just last week that it would be releasing family units without a plan in order to create havoc and instill fear in people in South Texas? The Rio Grande Valley does.

"Since coming to Congress, I have voiced that the U.S. should work with our neighbors to the south to secure Mexico's southern border. Threatening Mexico with a full border closure is just another rash decision, reflective of the President's obsession with partisan talking points and campaign rallies.

"Now, instead of listening to repeated concerns about the lack of immigration judges, the need to put resources in place before enacting policies, and simply thinking before you act, the brilliant solution of our ‘stable genius' President is to impede cross-border trade. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan's announcement that CBP will be reassigning 750 officers from ports of entry across the border to assist Border Patrol with the care and custody of migrants is a monumental example of mismanagement. Why must our businesses and communities along the border always pay the price?

"By continuing to neglect the facts and failing to foresee the consequences of his policies, the President is a sycophant to his own disaster. Manufacturing a crisis is not fooling anyone and I see right through it. I will not allow President Trump and his Administration to send the 15th District of Texas and the U.S.-Mexico Border into chaos."

# # #