Democratic presidential hopeful Julián Castro slammed the Trump administration for calling the situation at the Mexican border a crisis and outlined ways he would fix the immigration system if elected in 2020.
“I don’t believe their narrative,” the former San Antonio mayor said Wednesday on CNN’s “New Day.” “I don’t believe the B.S. that women and children who are fleeing dangerous circumstances present a national security threat to this country. … Right now, this administration is playing games with them, not allowing them to present their claim for asylum, keeping them caged in pens.
“I don’t believe we should do that. I have a different vision, I believe we should go back to the way this was handled before,” he said, adding he wants asylum seekers to be processed as civil infractions, not criminal.
White House strategic communications director Mercedes Schlapp said Tuesday the number of people at the border is “overwhelming the system” and causing a “national security crisis.”
Ms. Schlapp said the administration’s threat to close the border is one of the “little choices” left to deal with illegal immigration.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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