Coons: Deterring People from Crossing Border Illegally Is Good But ‘to Whom It’s Happening Is Not’

On Thursday’s broadcast of “CNN News Central,” Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) stated that it’s a good thing that we’re doing a better job at deterring people from trying to cross the border illegally, “but how it’s happening and where it’s happening and to whom it’s happening is not.” And “accomplishing border security and greater deportations through cruelty is not a positive.”

Co-host John Berman asked, “[I]n the month of June, there were 6,000 border apprehensions at the southwest border, 6,000. In June of 2024, there were 7,000 apprehensions the first two days of the month. That number, 6,000, is historically low. What does this tell you about whether President Trump’s border policies are working?”

Coons answered, “Well, John, having a lower number of people apprehended at the border is a positive. Securing the border is a good thing. The core difference and the core concern I have is how it’s being accomplished, because accomplishing border security and greater deportations through cruelty is not a positive. I think everyone in Congress agrees we should be deporting violent criminals who are here illegally. Many violent criminals were deported under the previous two administrations. But frankly, deterring people from coming to our border, making a long and difficult and expensive journey, merely to try and cross our border illegally, deterring them’s a good thing, but how it’s happening and where it’s happening and to whom it’s happening is not.”

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