Graham: Trump Needs To Talk To Kelly About What Border Security Means

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, to discuss their bipartisan Dream Act, which would allow young... Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., right, with Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., speaks during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, to discuss their bipartisan Dream Act, which would allow young immigrants who grew up in the United States to earn lawful permanent residence and eventually American citizenship. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) MORE LESS
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Discussing his plan to incorporate border security legislation with a revitalization of the DREAM Act, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) said President Donald Trump needs to talk with his chief of staff about what it would take to secure the U.S. border.

It’s not just about a wall, he said Wednesday on CNN.

I’ve been to the border a lot, a 2,200 mile wall is not necessary. Quite frankly I don’t think it makes a lot of border security sense,” he said. “We do need a wall in some places, but (Chief of Staff) John Kelly is probably the smartest guy I know on border security. He was the head of the southern command as a Marine. So my advice to the President would be, ‘You come up with the border security plan that’s reasonable that will secure the border.’”

If Trump can do that, Graham said he thinks he can “get Democrats on board” for legislation that would combine border security with the DREAM Act. 

The DREAM Act is a bill that would allow undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. as minors the opportunity to earn temporary and potentially permanent residency by attending college or joining the military. The legislation has been brought before Congress multiple times, but has never passed.

“We actually need to do both,” Graham said, referencing securing the U.S. border and helping protect Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients from deportation, a program that the administration just announced it would end in six months.

Lets do two things. Make a down payment on fixing a broken immigration system and give these kids the life they deserve. … Let somebody like John Kelly advise the President, and the President needs to own border security and (it) needs to be something we can pass,” he said. “And in return, Democrats, they are going to have to understand that most Americans want to treat these kids fairly but also want to secure the border. There’s a deal to be had here and the President’s got to help sell it.”

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