Rep. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., said Wednesday that Democratic and Republican lawmakers are “dicking around” with what she deems an unsatisfactory immigration deal as a partial government shutdown looms Friday night.
McSally took issue particularly with the possible shutdown’s effect on the military, calling it posturing by the Democrats. “It’s infuriating,” McSally told Fox News host Tucker Carlson. “I was moved when I heard [Senate Minority Whip] Dick Durbin say ‘there’s lives hanging in the balance’ … and I was like moved to jump in and say the only lives that are hanging in the balance right now are that of our military.”
“There’s a fake deadline created by the Democrats holding them hostage, and while our troops are over there risking their lives for us, these guys are dicking around — excuse my language — trying to come up with some issue that’s not even a top 20 priority of the American people.”
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, an Obama-era executive action offering deportation protections and work permits to certain undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, is set to be rescinded by the Trump administration on March 5. Republicans emphasize this gives them time to address the issue legislatively, while Democrats protest that DACA recipients’ work permits are already expiring.
McSally touted legislation that would provide a fix for Dreamers, but also put an end to chain migration and require E-Verify to be used by U.S. employers to prevent them from hiring illegal immigrants.
“This is a reasonable bill to address the root causes of DACA that we can continue to work on the next few weeks and months,” McSally said. “There is no crisis here.”
The Arizona congresswoman attended a meeting at the White House last week on the issue along with may of her colleagues on Capitol Hill.
McSally also announced Friday that she is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.
