On CNN’s State Of The Union, Gov. Rick Perry (R-TX) claimed that the influx of Central American children arriving at the border are terrorists from countries like Pakistan.
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Perry said, “I’m the governor of the state of Texas. My citizens safety is what’s foremost here, and it hasn’t got anything to do with anything other than those numbers of individuals who are coming across the border and when you think about the idea that some of them are from countries that have substantial terrorist ties whether it’s Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Syria we are at historic record highs with individuals being apprehended from those countries. We say that it’s time to secure the border. Hadn’t got anything to do with anything other than the American citizens expect Washington to respect the Constitution and secure the border.”
Gov. Perry was lying. The current border crisis involves tens of thousands of children arriving at the Southern border from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. More than 30,000 children have arrived since March of this year and more than 57,000 since last October. Most of the boys are age 15-17, and 70% of them are arriving by trying to cross the Rio Grande.
Perry knows that the problem is children, not terrorists, but his claim that these kids are terrorists is the latest attempt by the Republicans to disguise their policy of cruelty to children.
The border security issue is a myth that Republicans use to oppose immigration reform. In 2013, even Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) admitted that the border is secure, “There is no question, there has been a significant reduction in illegal crossings over the past five years. Apprehension by the border control have dropped 70% from 2005 to 2012. But their work is not yet complete. Greater focus need to be paid to drug traffickers and criminals that cross the border.”
The border isn’t secure argument is a scare tactic that is designed to make the American people oppose immigration reform. Rick Perry has invented an insecure border that is being invaded by terrorists in order to hide the fact that his party is trying to deport 550,000 children who have lived in the United States for most of their lives. It comes down to common sense. If the border wasn’t secure, we wouldn’t be apprehending all of these children who are trying to cross.
Republicans have gotten in way over their heads. Once people realize that Rick Perry has deployed the National Guard in Texas to intimidate children, his presidential hopes are doomed. The tough-talking Republican Party of decades past is now afraid of some kids. That’s the reality that Republicans are trying to hide.
There is a chance that terrorists could come across our Southern or Northern borders. There is also a chance that aliens could invade and blow up the governor’s mansion in Austin, but the reality is that tens of thousands of children have arrived at the Southern border, and the only solution that Perry has offered is to deploy the National Guard and call them terrorists.
Fifty thousand Central American kids have caused the complete unraveling of the Republican Party.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
