Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen said her agency’s job is to enforce the law and rebuked Congress for the resolution targeting President Trump’s border emergency declaration.
“I really fear for our democracy when the body who creates the laws is telling the body who enforces the law, ‘Just don’t enforce the law,'” Nielsen told “Fox and Friends” in an interview that aired Thursday. “If they don’t like the law, they should change it.”
.@SecNielsen voices her frustration on gridlock in Congress and immigration reform.
“I really fear for our democracy when the body who creates the laws is telling the body who enforces the law just don’t enforce the law.”
“If they don’t like the law they should change it.” pic.twitter.com/jpkYOi0iPy
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 14, 2019
Nielsen’s comments came ahead of the Senate approving a House-passed resolution Thursday afternoon stopping Trump’s national emergency declaration that redirects billions of dollars in funds for the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump has already communicated his intent to veto the resolution, which would be the first veto of his presidency.
The Washington Post reported that a trio of Republicans led by Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., went to the White House during dinner Wednesday evening in an effort to convince Trump to negotiate with Senate Republicans on a border deal to avert the resolution, but Trump declined.
Trump echoed Nielsen’s sentiment Thursday before the Senate vote.
“Prominent legal scholars agree that our actions to address the National Emergency at the Southern Border and to protect the American people are both CONSTITUTIONAL and EXPRESSLY authorized by Congress,” he said in a pair of tweets. “If, at a later date, Congress wants to update the law, I will support those efforts, but today’s issue is BORDER SECURITY and Crime!!! Don’t vote with Pelosi!”
