Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Republican Congressman Who Represents a Border District Just Said What We're All Thinking About Donald Trump's Border Wall

Republican Congressman Who Represents a Border District Just Said What We're All Thinking About Donald Trump's Border Wall
Texas Republican Representative Will Hurd appears on CNN with Wolf Blitzer January 9, 2019. (CNN)

Accurate.

President Donald Trump repeatedly claims only Democrats oppose his multi-billion dollar border wall. He also claims Republicans are completely unified in supporting it and back his decision to shut down portions of the government—including the Department of Homeland Security—until he gets the billions of dollars he wants for his wall.

But Texas Republican Representative Will Hurd stated otherwise in an interview with CNN.


Hurd represents a district on the southern border with Mexico. In fact, Hurd's district covers 820 miles of the border, well over a third of the 1,954 mile border with Mexico.

When asked for his thoughts on the wall, Hurd—a member of both the House Homeland Security and Intelligence Committees—stated:

"I think building a concrete structure sea to shining sea is the most expensive and least effective way to do border security."

Watch his remarks here.

Hurd's assessment reflects the thoughts of experts on border security who point out advancements in technology that are utilized more effectively than a wall and could be purchased with a fraction of the money Trump wants for his wall. The Department of Homeland Security budget requests to Congress never included a wall—prior to Trump appointing Kirstjen Nielsen to the post—as experts within the department also understand actual border security and immigration statistics.

The majority of undocumented immigrants who enter the United States still come in legally on a variety of visa types—student, tourist, work—then simply stay after their visa expires. Their arrivals are through legal points or entry on planes or in other types of vehicles, not by walking across the southern border.

Hurd went on to comment on the President's threat to declare a national emergency if he did not get his border wall billions.

Hurd said:

"It would be an amazing misuse and abuse of power."

So why—if every expert in border security and immigration statistics indicate a wall is ineffective and a waste of billions that could be better used by Homeland Security in upgrading technology and increasing staffing—does Trump insist he get his multi-billion dollar wall or else?

Conservative media pundits like Ann Coulter and hosts on Fox News mock him about his campaign promise and popular Make America Great Again rally chant of "build a wall."

However as polls indicate, the majority of United States voters oppose the waste of billions of dollars to pander to right wing pundits, the conservative press and MAGA rally supporters. People voiced just such in response to Hurd's remarks on CNN.

Some pointed out flaws in the Trump one-size fits all multi-million dollar prototypes that were already constructed and failed in testing.

Others voiced support for Hurd's assessment.

Others suggested the GOP listen to their member of Congress who represents a border district.

However a few Trump supporters failed to understand the points Hurd made but were corrected.

As Trump's government shutdown tactic to gain his border wall funding approaches the third week, the President heads to the border for a photo-op to try to gain the support his presidential address on Tuesday failed to garner. If all other attempts to force Congress to give him the billions he wants fail, Trump stated he would likely declare a national emergency to bypass Congress.

More from People/donald-trump

Sir Rod Stewart and King Charles III; Donald Trump
Kirsty Wigglesworth - WPA Pool/Getty Images; Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

Rod Stewart Just Gave Trump The Most Brutally Accurate New Nickname During Candid Conversation With King Charles

On Monday, King Charles III attended an event at Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the King's Trust—previously called the Prince's Trust—which the United Kingdom's reigning monarch founded in 1976 to support young people aged 11-30 facing challenges like unemployment, poverty, or lack of education.

In attendance that night was Sir Rod Stewart, who was knighted in 2016. Stewart and the King have met several times, and briefly chatted while King Charles greeted distinguished guests in the reception line.

Keep ReadingShow less
Chelsea Handler unleashed one of the night’s most brutal roasts on Tony Hinchcliffe during Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart.
Netflix / The Roast of Kevin Hart

Chelsea Handler Destroys MAGA Comedian With Hilariously Brutal Jokes At Kevin Hart's Roast—And We're Cheering

Chelsea Handler brought the heat to Netflix’s The Roast of Kevin Hart Sunday night, and Tony Hinchcliffe ended up taking some of the night’s most brutal hits.

Handler wasted little time zeroing in on Hinchcliffe, the controversial comedian who has repeatedly sparked backlash over jokes about George Floyd and Puerto Rico. She delivered a string of savage punchlines that left the audience roaring while the comic sat visibly unimpressed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Dave Coulier
Rob Latour/Variety/Penske Media/Getty Images; @dcoulier/Instagram

Dave Coulier Opened Up About Why He Looks And Sounds Different After Cancer Battle—And Fans Are Heartbroken For Him

Dave Coulier has been well-known for years for playing the lovable, quirky, and bubbly Uncle Joey Gladstone on Full House, and in the past two years, he's become even more loved for carrying that same bubbly personality through multiple cancer treatments.

In 2024, Coulier was diagnosed with stage three non-Hodgkin lymphoma after seeing a doctor about symptoms from a persistent cold. Coulier mentioned then how quickly his life changed, but how the prognosis was generally always promising.

Keep ReadingShow less
Martin Short; Katherine Short and Martin Short
CBS Sunday Morning/YouTube; Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic

Martin Short Just Opened Up For The First Time About His Daughter's Death—And Fans Are Heartbroken

Content warning: mental illness, suicide

Martin Short has experienced tremendous loss in his life, the latest of which was daughter Katherine's suicide at the age of 42, reportedly after years of struggling with several mental health disorders.

Keep ReadingShow less
Bill Nye
Kristina Bumphrey/Variety via Getty Images

Bill Nye In Awe Over How Much His New Wax Figure At Madame Tussauds Looks Like Him—And Fans Are Impressed

Usually when a Madame Tussaud's wax figure shocks everyone, it's for all the wrong reasons. But for once, it's for the right ones!

Scientist Bill Nye, aka Bill Nye The Science Guy, just unveiled his new wax figure at Madame Tussauds New York, and well ... it looks exactly like him!

Keep ReadingShow less