President Trump tore into Democratic lawmakers Tuesday, claiming they would allow illegal immigrants “to pour into and infest” the U.S.
The bevy of tweets came as Trump prepares to meet with congressional Republicans regarding immigration reform.
“Democrats are the problem,” Trump tweeted. “They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters!”
Democrats are the problem. They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our Country, like MS-13. They can’t win on their terrible policies, so they view them as potential voters!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2018
Trump’s comments follow widespread condemnation of his administration’s introduction of a zero tolerance policy toward immigration, resulting in minors being separated from their parents or guardians as the Justice Department prosecutes all illegal border crossings.
He defended his administration’s decision again on Tuesday by pointing to Germany, a country that has faced its own immigration issues, particularly as people flee the conflict in Syria.
“We must always arrest people coming into our Country illegally,” Trump wrote. “Of the 12,000 children, 10,000 are being sent by their parents on a very dangerous trip, and only 2000 are with their parents, many of whom have tried to enter our Country illegally on numerous occasions.”
“Crime in Germany is up 10% plus (officials do not want to report these crimes) since migrants were accepted. Others countries are even worse. Be smart America!” he continued. “If you don’t have Borders, you don’t have a Country!”
We must always arrest people coming into our Country illegally. Of the 12,000 children, 10,000 are being sent by their parents on a very dangerous trip, and only 2000 are with their parents, many of whom have tried to enter our Country illegally on numerous occasions.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2018
Crime in Germany is up 10% plus (officials do not want to report these crimes) since migrants were accepted. Others countries are even worse. Be smart America!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2018
If you don’t have Borders, you don’t have a Country!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2018
The source of Trump’s German crime figures is unclear, but some journalists on Twitter suspected he might be referring to a government-sponsored study published in January that found violent crime increased between 2015 and 2016. However, after Trump tweeted Monday that “crime in Germany is way up,” fact checkers deemed the claim false, citing more recent numbers released in May by Germany’s Interior Minister Horst Seehofer, which indicate the country’s overall crime rate is at its lowest since 1992.
Trump is expected to meet with the entire Republican caucus on Capitol Hill Tuesday to push for the passing of two immigration bills in the coming days.
“Now is the best opportunity ever for Congress to change the ridiculous and obsolete laws on immigration. Get it done, always keeping in mind that we must have strong border security,” Trump added Tuesday.
#CHANGETHELAWS Now is the best opportunity ever for Congress to change the ridiculous and obsolete laws on immigration. Get it done, always keeping in mind that we must have strong border security.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 19, 2018
