,
6 tweets,
1 min read
Read on Twitter
Democrats have made it clear to the President that there are much more effective ways to secure our border than a wall – like more screening technology and personnel to stop drugs from flowing through our borders. Democrats support smart border security that works.
For example, the DEA has found that the cartels transport the bulk of their illicit goods over the Southwest border through legal ports of entry using passenger vehicles or tractor trailers.
CBP Commissioner McAleenan told me directly in October 2017 that his top priority to secure the border was more drive-through inspection systems, known as Z-portals. He didn’t mention a border wall.
According to DHS, these drive-through inspection systems examine 98% of rail cars but only 18% of cargo, passenger vehicles, and sea containers combined. Yet the President’s Budget for FY19 includes just $44 million for these systems.
And the Administration didn’t ask for any funding for additional Customs Officers, even though we clearly need more personnel to detect drugs at ports of entry and in international mail.
Instead President Trump is threatening to shut down the government if he doesn’t get nearly $6 billion for a wasteful & ineffective border wall. We need modern technology to stop drug cartels from importing the poison that is killing our kids, not a medieval solution like a wall.
