Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) told reporters Tuesday that he was opposed to the idea, recently proposed by Senate Republicans, of a legislative fix to the problem of separating families who cross the border illegally.
“There are so many obstacles to legislation and when the president can do it with his own pen, it makes no sense,” he said. “Legislation is not the way to go here when it’s so easy for the president to sign it.”
NEW: Brandishing a pen, Sen. Schumer says Pres. Trump can fix his administration's family separation practice with a presidential order.
— ABC News (@ABC) June 19, 2018
"I'll lend you my pen. Any pen! You can fix it yourself." https://t.co/2mXJ1yRwlA pic.twitter.com/3JVp5yVbYH
He also argued that Republican solutions to the problem, like those being proposed by Sens. John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), would have poison pills.
“Unacceptable additions have bogged down every piece of legislation we’ve done,” he said.
“Let’s hope the president does the right thing and solves the problem, which he can do. That’s the simple, easiest and most likely way this will happen,” Schumer argued.
In contrast, both Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for a legislative fix from Congress Monday.
Vice President Mike Pence weighed in Tuesday calling Schumer’s desire to “play politics” with the issue “sad.”
This is sad. Schumer would rather play politics than solve problems and secure our border. Chuck, THAT makes no sense. Let’s #CHANGETHELAWS and fix this now. https://t.co/xujqGZ4VFp
— Vice President Mike Pence (@VP) June 19, 2018