U.S. Senator Katie Britt delivered a sharp rebuke of Democratic immigration policies during a recent appearance on Fox News’ Hannity. The Republican lawmaker accused Democrats of siding with undocumented immigrants with violent criminal records, while neglecting the safety of American communities.
Katie Pavlich, the show’s host for the evening, opened the segment by questioning why Democratic lawmakers and protesters were rallying outside an ICE detention facility in New Jersey that houses individuals convicted of violent crimes.
“It’s clear whose side Democrats are on,” said Britt (R-Montgomery). “They’re on the side of child molesters, on gang members, on those who are preying on the most vulnerable and here illegally.”
“Republicans have the backs of the American people. I don’t know where this passion was from the Democrats over the last four years, as we saw our border being invaded day after day after day. Where was this energy? Where was this fight?”
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Calling the Biden administration’s immigration approach a failure, Britt said former President Donald Trump and Republicans were committed to securing the border and keeping Americans safe. She pointed to a significant recent decline in border crossings as proof that executive action, not new legislation, can address the crisis.
“That number of the 93 percent drop in border crossings is incredible,” Britt said. “It just proves that where there was a will, there was a way. And Democrats didn’t have it.”
Britt also challenged Democrats’ past claims that legislation was necessary to close the border.
“Democrats told us the only way that they could close the wide-open border was through legislation, a bipartisan piece of legislation—that was simply false,” she said. “It was all about will. It was all about purpose.”
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The Senator expressed outrage over what she described as Democratic efforts to protect individuals with criminal records from deportation.
“They demanded these big pieces of legislation that gave amnesty to the millions of people who came into the country illegally, including criminal aliens who had criminal histories in their home countries,” Britt said.
She stressed that removing those individuals would be a priority and promised Republicans would continue to support border agents and immigration officers.
“We have the backs of our law enforcement officers. We appreciate the work that CBP does. We appreciate the work that the men and women of ICE do. We’re going to use every tool in our toolbox to make the interior of the United States of America safe again.”
