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Senator Bernie Sanders expressed support for President Donald Trump’s efforts to secure the southern border and combat the flow of fentanyl into the United States, stating during a Sunday interview that illegal immigration is not appropriate and that border enforcement is necessary.
Speaking with Jonathan Karl on ABC’s This Week, Sanders was asked whether there was anything he believed President Trump had done right. Sanders, a longtime advocate for immigration reform, offered a direct response.
“I think cracking down on fentanyl, making sure our borders are stronger,” Sanders said.
“Look, nobody thinks illegal immigration is appropriate, and I happen to think we need comprehensive immigration reform, but I don’t think it’s appropriate for people to be coming across the border illegally,” he added.
While acknowledging the need for stronger border enforcement, Sanders criticized President Trump’s broader immigration policy, specifically his plan to carry out large-scale deportations of illegal immigrants.
He warned that such efforts would negatively impact the U.S. economy.
“He wants to deport 20 million people who are in this country who are undocumented,” Sanders said.
“Well, you do that, you destroy the entire country.”
Sanders continued, “Because I got news for you, Trump’s billionaire friends are not going to pick the crops in California that feed us. They’re not going to work in meatpacking houses. That’s what undocumented people are doing.”
The interview ended with a brief exchange on Sanders’ political future, during which the Vermont senator indicated he has no current plans to seek higher office.
“Right now I’m Vermont’s senator,” he said. “That’s what I do. And I’m very happy to do it. I am 83 years of age. And I’m tired.”
Sanders’ comments came as he continues traveling the country alongside Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez as part of their “Fight Oligarchy” tour. The national speaking tour is intended to rally progressive support and address issues such as wealth inequality and corporate power. The events have drawn sizable left-wing audiences, even as enthusiasm across much of the Democratic base remains low.
According to the tour’s official website, “Over the course of the next few weeks I’ll be hitting the road to have real discussions across America on how we move forward to take on the Oligarchs and corporate interests who have so much power and influence in this country.”
The tour also comes amid policy clashes with the newly formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), where Elon Musk has taken a central role in pushing for over a trillion dollars in federal budget cuts.
In a recent development tied to the tour, an email from Sanders’ team instructed attendees to wear masks and stay home if experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. The guidance sparked questions, given that the pandemic was officially declared over years ago. Still, the precaution was included in advance of multiple indoor events on the schedule. While Sanders continues to be critical of Trump’s immigration enforcement proposals, his endorsement of strong borders and fentanyl crackdowns adds to a growing number of lawmakers acknowledging the impact of the border crisis on public safety and the nation’s drug epidemic.
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