Democrat Senator Says Push For Border Security Isn’t Xenophobia, Racism

Amid the worsening immigrant problem, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is urging his fellow Democrats in the Senate to engage in conversations with Republicans about the border.

Speaking to POLITICO, Fetterman pointed out that Republicans’ concerns about the border and their push for the enforcement of tougher immigration laws do not equate to xenophobia or racism.

“I hope Democrats can understand that it isn’t xenophobic to be concerned about the border. It’s a reasonable conversation, and Democrats should engage,” he stated.

‘It Isn’t Xenophobic’: Fetterman Encourages Border Security Talks https://t.co/OMZjKPaPUN pic.twitter.com/JUwVnsX4DJ

— Daily Wire News (@DailyWireNews) December 8, 2023

Addressing the report by federal officials that estimated roughly 270,000 encounters at the southwest border in November, the lawmaker said, “Honestly, it’s astonishing. And this isn’t a Fox News kind of statistic. This is the government’s. You essentially have Pittsburgh showing up there at the border.”

Fetterman went on to call himself “the most pro-immigration member of the Senate.”

“I haven’t met anyone that can have a really crisp, cogent solution or easy solution on, ‘Well, what do you do when you have roughly a city similar in size of Pittsburgh coming up to the border?’” he stated.

Fetterman’s comments come after Senate Republicans blocked a $111 billion supplemental funding bill over a demand to have an immigration measure added to the national security measure.

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-CT), who is in charge of the negotiations on behalf of Democrats, called the Republicans’ efforts to restore normalcy to the immigration system “hardline demands to shut down the border.”

Republicans, however, are insistent on securing significant immigration reforms with the funding bill which includes money for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. “We cannot work to secure other nations while our own border remains a massive national security risk,” GOP negotiator, Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) said.

While negotiations are on again, with Biden seemingly ready to make compromises regarding the border, Fetterman was not open about the concessions he would entertain. However, he voiced disapproval for any efforts to tackle illegal immigrants brought into the United States as children.