Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines delivered remarks at the weekly Republican Senate Leadership press conference, criticizing Senate Democrats for their handling of the southern border crisis. Daines accused Democrats of neglecting the issue until it became a political problem.

“Go back and watch the replays of what was going on in February of 2021 when Joe Biden reversed policies that were working to secure the southern border that President Trump put in place,” Daines stated.

He continued, “And now three and a half years later we’ve seen the Senate Democrats doing nothing to try to solve the border crisis that we have. They’ve done nothing to stop illegals who are flooding into the country, those on the FBI terror watch list. They have allowed over nine million illegal crossings at the southern border, but now they’ve seen the light. Or maybe they’ve seen the polls.”

Daines argued that Senate Democrats’ approach has turned a border crisis into a political crisis. “Senate Dems’ border crisis has become a political crisis. And now they’re looking to Chuck Schumer to bail them out,” he said.

“This is Washington cynicism at its finest, and the American people won’t be fooled. This is a political stunt,” Daines added.

Highlighting specific votes, Daines criticized Senate Democrats' record: “Look at the votes that Senate Democrats have already cast. They voted against the Laken Riley Act, which calls for the illegals who commit theft or shoplifting, to be detained or deported. They voted against deportation for illegals who are assaulting police officers. They voted to keep state and local law enforcement from detaining illegals who commit crimes until they can be deported.”

Daines concluded by stating, “This is the real record of Senate Democrats, and the spin or the sham votes will not be able to erase this dismal record that opened our southern border and made America unsafe.”