- The Washington Times - Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Rep. Tim Ryan said Tuesday that Democrats agree with Republicans on border security, but differ in how they execute it.

“I hope that he recognizes that Democrats want to help solve this issue. We want to be firm on border security, but we also want to make sure we take care of these kids who did nothing wrong and are here in the United States,” Mr. Ryan, Ohio Democrat, said on Fox News.

Mr. Ryan was reacting to Mr. Trump’s earlier tweet calling out Democrats for not caring about “safety.”

“The problem with agreeing to a policy on immigration is that the Democrats don’t want secure borders, they don’t care about safety for U.S.A.,” Mr. Trump tweeted.

The congressman said that while Democrats may disagree with the border wall, they do want to see more security measures at the border.

“I think today we have to have a secure border. Democrats are for a secure border. I think the decision is whether we use the latest and greatest technology, we use sensors, we use the kind of information technology we have today to do it, or whether we build a wall that’s going to be a big boondoggle. There’s different ways of doing it,” Mr. Ryan said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi didn’t rule out a possible government shutdown over the Dreamers, she said in a interview with The Washington Post on Monday. Dreamers, or participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, were brought to the U.S. illegally as children.

“I fully intend to use every possibility, but we’re not at that place yet,” Mrs. Pelosi said in reaction to the White House’s proposed immigration plan, which includes a border wall.

She also said Democrats will not negotiate with Mr. Trump and Republicans because there is “nothing in it to negotiate…”

Mr. Ryan said this reluctance to come to the negotiating table is the reason some Democrats think it’s time for new leadership.

“I’ve been very, very clear with where I stood over a year ago in my own race for House leadership, but I do think we need to continue to get young voices out there. We’re doing it more and more now,” he said.

• Sally Persons can be reached at spersons@washingtontimes.com.

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