WASHINGTON, D.C. – This evening, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine) issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s address on immigration and the government shutdown:

“I’m so tired of the false choice between ‘the wall or open borders’ –  I don’t know a single member of Congress who supports open borders,” said Senator King. “I’m for border security; I’m just not for border security that doesn’t make economic or practical sense. And for all of the President’s efforts to argue for the importance of a wall, we’ve never seen any plans as to how his administration would achieve this goal. We’re being asked to turn a campaign promise into a government policy without evaluating detailed specifics and thoughtful planning, and that’s not the way we make policy in this country.

“So, as the President essentially holds key government agencies hostage in exchange for his flawed proposal, Maine people, and people across the country, are hurting. Federal workers cannot collect paychecks, and businesses and families are stuck in limbo as important government agencies sit idle. Congress has bipartisan agreement on six bills which would reopen nearly all of the affected portions of the government; let’s pass them, along with a short-term continuing resolution to allow DHS workers to be paid during negotiations, so federal workers can continue to earn the salaries they rely on to provide for their families and the government can get back to work for the American people.”