Arizona Democrat Calls for Party To Follow Republicans…

Arizona Democrat Calls for Party To Follow Republicans On Immigration, Says Zero Unlawful Border Crossings Should Be Bipartisan Goal

U.S. Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) (Credit: Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Senator Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) has called for Democrats to adopt stricter immigration policies and said that reducing unlawful border crossings should not depend on people's political affiliation.

"Getting illegal border crossing to as near zero as possible should be a bipartisan position," Gallego told KTAR News 92.3 FM's The Mike Broomhead Show. "I think that's something that we could all start with right there."

As border crossings hit all-time lows, Gallego suggested giving more resources to border patrol:

"Let's give Border Patrol everything they want for how many men they need for the border... how many vehicles they need and put walls and barriers where it's necessary and needed and open up more ports of entry"

Gallego also commented on his plan to alter the asylum system in the country, suggesting that asylum seekers be put in front of a judge as they enter the country instead of having to wait years before a decision is made in some instances:

"There's just no way anybody could look at what happened in the last four years that we could look at it, and this is for more of a message to the left, the asylum system was abused," Gallego said.

"Abused to the point where it drove Americans and even immigrants mad that people were able to just come to the border, claim asylum and they're here and they have a work permit for seven years," he added. "And there are people that have been here for years trying to get work permits they still can't get it, right?"

Gallego also pushed for a flexible guest worker program targeting specific economic sectors with two-year work permits, and reiterated his support for providing a path to citizenship for Dreamers. "It's ridiculous and inhumane and dumb for us to throw people out of this country that are as American as a lot of us except for on paper," he said.

This is not the first time Gallego has signaled support for GOP-led initiatives on immigration. In January, he was one of 12 Democrats to support the Republican-backed Laken Riley Act, which empowers ICE to detain and deport noncitizens charged with crimes such as burglary and theft. At the time Gallego said that his stance reflected the views of "working class Latinos from Arizona," and criticized immigration advocacy groups for being "out of touch with where your average Latino is."

Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.

Already a member? Sign in here