Graham on Situation at Southern Border: “This Is Not a Crisis, It’s a Disaster.”

WASHINGTON – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced a temporary postponement of a Committee vote on his legislation – the Secure and Protect Act. Graham also discussed the situation at the southern border at the Senate Appropriations Committee’s markup of emergency border funding legislation.  

On the Secure and Protect Act of 2019:  

• GRAHAM: “We met with the White House, so we’re going to take a couple of weeks to see if we can find a compromise to shut down this flow [from Central America]. Because if we don’t, to our Chairman and Ranking Member, you better get ready to do this again, and again, and again, and again.” https://youtu.be/OM7Fj-0jpik?t=248   
• GRAHAM: “We’re going to postpone our [Judiciary Committee] markup [of the Secure and Protect Act] that would [fix] this problem by changing our asylum laws and give 100 days to process minor children, not 20.” https://youtu.be/OM7Fj-0jpik?t=232 

On the situation at the southern border:  

• GRAHAM: “And here’s what [the Appropriations] Committee needs to know: if we don’t change our asylum laws and the Flores decision, this never stops. The word is out in Central America particularly, that if you can bring a small child to America, you’re going to stay. If you read a card, ‘I am seeking asylum,’ you’re going to stay. We’re turning you loose since we don’t have any place to put you.  This is not a crisis, it’s a disaster.” https://youtu.be/OM7Fj-0jpik?t=111