Former Democratic Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke laid out a vision for U.S. border security that doesn’t include a wall, opens the border to all asylum seekers, and makes “Dreamers” and their parents U.S. citizenship.
O’Rourke laid out those priorities at a Monday night El Paso rally that was meant to position him against President Trump’s call for a border wall, and possibly for a White House run in 2020.
The former House lawmaker who came close to defeating Sen. Ted Cruz last year, has been cagey on his border position in the last few months, but put some flesh on the bones Monday night before a few thousand supporters.
“It’s not just those things that we are against, and which we must stop, like this wall,” O’Rourke said. “It is also the things we want to replace that with, those things that we are for.”
“No. 1, let’s make sure that as they leave the deadliest places on the planet, that we make way and make room for those asylum seekers who are coming to this country,” he said. “Meet our obligations to the U.S. and international law and do the right thing.”
“Two, let’s ensure that no ‘Dreamer’ ever again fears deportation from this, their home country,” O’Rourke said. “Make every single one of them U.S. citizens so that they can contribute to their full potential.”
“And their parents, the original ‘Dreamers,’ let’s make sure that they stay here as well on a path to citizenship, contributing all they’ve got to this city’s, this state’s and this country’s greatness, and the millions who labor in the shadows, the most back-breaking work that man can invent. Let’s pull them out into the sunshine. Let’s allow them to live with dignity for themselves and their families.” – READ MORE