Sarah Sanders: Democrats 'unwilling' to help President Trump solve crisis at southern border

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'Mean and cruel': White House blasts Democrats for not fixing immigration policy

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders accused the Democrats of being "unwilling to do anything" to help solve the crisis on the border.

Sanders made the comment during an appearance on “Fox & Friends” Thursday, claiming the party's inaction is leaving President Trump and his White House with "little options."
 
“Democrats at this point – their unwillingness to do anything has left the president with very little options,” Sanders said, before thanking Mexican officials for helping.

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“Mexico has stepped up over the last few days. They are working with us to do more to stop more people from coming into this country illegally.”
 
The hosts pressed Sanders on what steps Mexico is taking to help the United States on the border.
 
“For one they have added a large number of additional checkpoints to stop people before they even get into Mexico," she said.

"They are also stepping up the number of individuals that are waiting for their asylum claims in the United States to be processed and they’re holding those individuals in Mexico instead of the United States while that takes place it’s up to about 300 a day."
 
The topic then turned to President Trump's trip to the border Friday to showcase a newly built section of the wall in Calexico, California.
 
Sanders says the trip is meant to show everyone the progress made on the border wall.
 
The press secretary also asked Congress to take border security more seriously and help in stopping unaccompanied minors from being used as a ticket into the United States.
 
“Look, there are some basic things that Congress could do starting with allowing unaccompanied minors to be returned and reunited with their family. The fact that an unaccompanied child can come to this country and we do not have the ability to legally return them back home to be reunited with their family and their home country is absurd,” Sanders said.

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Sanders put the problems with unaccompanied minors squarely on Democrats in Congress.
 
“That is a simple fix that would drastically not only reduce the influx that we’re seeing come across the border, but it would also stop the exploitation of these children – through human trafficking, through the cartels, through the coyotes that are using these kids to come across the border,” Sanders said.
 
“It’s absolutely absurd and frankly it’s dangerous and it's mean and cruel what Democrats are doing by not fixing basic law so we can actually help these kids and protect them and reunite them with their families.”