Joe Manchin Discusses Trump’s Immigration and Crime Policies
Former Senator Joe Manchin from West Virginia expressed his support for President Donald Trump’s second-term approach to immigration, border security, and crime during an appearance on MSNBC with Eugene Daniels on Sunday.
Manchin noted the Trump administration’s success in managing illegal immigration, mentioning that there had been four straight months without any parole for undocumented immigrants. He also recognized the administration’s actions against crime in Washington, D.C., and felt that Trump was committed to securing borders and addressing crime effectively.
“I think everyone knows we should have a safe border. I urged the Democrats not to let asylum seekers overwhelm the system,” Manchin remarked. “It’s essential to address street crime, but we can’t ignore the broader situation.”
Daniels probed Manchin about whether Trump’s administration supported sending in the National Guard to assist in cities governed by Democrats. Manchin responded, “If crime impacted my state, I’d welcome all assistance available. But I wonder, what happens when the help leaves? Will we return to where we started? Are we ready to fund this adequately?”
He added that Democrats acknowledged past mistakes related to border security and were willing to collaborate with the administration on that issue, emphasizing the importance of legal immigration for maintaining the nation’s global economic strength. “My ancestors came to this country through legal means,” he said.
In a related discussion, David Axelrod, who was a senior strategist for former President Barack Obama, criticized Democratic border policies on the “Molly John Fast’s Fast Politics” podcast, stating that waiting three years to seriously address border issues was “insane.”
He pointed out that President Joe Biden did not issue an executive order to address border control until the last year of his presidency, despite facing around six million encounters at the southern border. For months, Biden claimed that no significant actions could be taken to resolve the situation.
According to recent data from Customs and Border Protection, there were 6,319 encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border in August, averaging about 204 arrests per day. The total number of encounters nationwide dropped below 26,200 for the month, which is reportedly 93% lower than the monthly average during Biden’s term.
