Jamaal Bowman, GOP lawmaker have fierce clash over border crisis on CNN
During a heated exchange on CNN Thursday night, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., ripped into Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N., for stating that the border is in a "crisis."
During a heated exchange on CNN Thursday night, Rep. Jamaal Bowman, D-N.Y., ripped into Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N., for stating that the border is in a "crisis."
Bowman ripped the Republican for "speaking like an expert" on the topic while not having gone to the U.S. southern border.
The Democratic lawmaker proceeded to brag about his trips to the border, after which both men loudly started talking over each other while host "CNN NewsNight" host Abby Phillip tried to regain control.
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Rep. Bowman, D-N.Y., and Rep. Lawler, R-N.Y., spar over how the government is handling the U.S. southern border. (Screenshot/CNN)
The tense political confrontation followed a discussion between the two lawmakers on the current migrant situation in the U.S., which also included points about the country’s treatment of Israel, among other topics.
During his chance to speak, Lawler leveled heavy blows against Democratic Party leadership, stating that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., "has done nothing on the border, nothing on Israel. He’s the highest-ranking Jewish official in America – has not passed one thing to provide aid for Israel."
"What is Chuck Schumer doing?" Lawler asked. Earlier in the interview he also declared that President Biden "needs to get serious about securing our border."
Bowman responded, beginning with the allegation that America’s immigration system "was destroyed by Donald Trump, not President Biden."
He continued, "Democrats have been pushing and fighting for true immigration, comprehensive immigration reform. Republicans have stopped it for decades. We are a nation of immigrants, we welcome them when they come in seeking asylum, and we will continue, and should continue, to do that."
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During the CNN segment, Bowman stated that he had been to the southern border and spoken to CBP about the challenges there. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc)
When Lawler got his chance to respond, he said, "With all due respect, Republicans are the only ones that have actually passed anything on border security this year."
He then went on to say that the "border is an immediate crisis," which sparked a testy back and forth. Bowman interjected, asking, "Have you been to the border?"
"Not yet," Lawler admitted, prompting the Democrat to dig in. "The man hasn’t been to the West Bank, he hasn’t been to the border, but you’re speaking like an expert on both," Bowman proclaimed.
Raising his voice, Bowman added, "I’ve been to the border! I’ve been to Laredo, Texas! I met with CBP. I met with FEMA down there."
Meanwhile, Lawler tried to interject multiple times, asking, "And is the border going well?" and "And what did CBP tell you? They told you that it is not working."
The two lawmakers got lost in the heated crosstalk, so much so that Phillip had to force the two to settle down and let Lawler offer a response.
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