WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Democratic Whip Katherine Clark (MA-5) joined CNN's The Situation Room, slamming Republicans for holding travelers and TSA officers hostage in their attempts to block ICE reforms and force passage of voter suppression legislation. Below are excerpts from the conversation:
On Republicans' Refusal to Rein in ICE:
“Chaos is the defining word of this administration and Republicans in Congress. There is an easy fix here: we have offered, as Democrats, let’s reopen all of DHS if you will agree to commonsense ways of operating ICE that every police department across this country implements and uses.
“If they are unwilling to do that, we have said for weeks, let’s continue to negotiate around ICE and Border Patrol and reopen every other part.
“The president has decided to take us into a war of his choice. And more than ever, we need to make sure TSA workers are being paid — the Coast Guard, FEMA, our cybersecurity experts.
“They can take one of two paths, and the answer coming from the President and Republicans is we take neither: 'We would like not to pay TSA. We would like not to rein in ICE and have them conduct themselves without a reign of terror in communities. We are just going to use them as collateral to get a voter suppression bill.'
“This isn’t an answer the American people can tolerate or put up with. And they deserve better than that.”
On the GOP Agenda’s Consequences for Working Americans:
“Every single time it comes down to a choice, this administration says, ‘We choose to hurt workers, to put the American people last.’
“When oil prices go up, they say, ‘Oh, that doesn't matter. Our economy will be fine.’
“They take away health care for millions of people. They say, ‘It's okay because we got tax cuts for billionaires.’
“And now they're saying, ‘TSA workers should continue to show up, work without pay … That's what we're going to do until we can pass a bill that makes it very difficult for people to vote in this country.’ That is insanity.
“We are so clear: let's reopen every part of DHS if you refuse to negotiate in good faith. And if we can get to a deal around putting those commonsense reforms at ICE, then we'll reopen that too.
“The choice is theirs. They're choosing to put it all on workers.”
On Trump’s Refusal to Pay TSA Agents:
“We have heard public comments from Senator Kennedy, from Senator Thune, from more conservative members of their caucus saying, ‘We would be open to opening up all the other critical parts of DHS while negotiations continue.’ But the president won't allow it. We know where the problem is.
“And over in the House, they're not going to make a move without the White House.
“Who is the one who bears the brunt of all of this? It's Americans at home. It's TSA workers.”
On Democrats’ Efforts to Reopen Every Part of DHS Except ICE:
“The American people are very clear [about] what's going on here.
“We have said it repeatedly. We're up to nine times that we have said, ‘Let's open up every other part of this until ICE is willing to act like every other police department. Let's not wait to make sure that TSA workers get what they need, get the paycheck they deserve — and the Coast Guard and FEMA.’
…
“We have been crystal clear, and it keeps being rejected. Open up the other parts of DHS if you refuse to do the right thing at ICE, and let us continue to negotiate that.
“But the Republicans are hell bent on holding TSA workers hostage and creating hardship for them and creating chaos and a lack of safety at our airports and in our skies.”
To watch the full interview, click HERE.
# # #