President Donald Trump’s recent threats to close the border have caused a surge in illegal immigration, according to Oregon Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley.
"Let's understand why there’s such a big surge," Merkley said on CNN’s “New Day” on Friday. "If you asked the folks throughout Central America, 'Why are a significant number more coming now then then came a few months ago,' and the answer is President Trump's threats to use national security emergency to seal the border. So every time he talks about sealing the border, it produces a surge."
He added that Trump’s child-separation policies are "evil," and called on the president to close his minor detention centers. Merkley also said that Trump should "cut off the flow of guns from the United States" and into Mexico if "he wants the drugs to stop."
Although Trump repeatedly threatened to close the U.S. border with Mexico, he said Thursday that he would instead introduce tariffs and may shut down the border in one year.
"I never changed my mind at all. I may shut it down at some point, but I'd rather do tariffs," Trump told reporters on Friday, according to NBC News. "Mexico, I have to say, has been very very good, you know that, over the last four days, since I talked about shutting down the border. If they continue that, everything will be fine."
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