Congressman Antonio Delgado is condemning conditions at the United States-Mexico border as horrifying and unconscionable and in a call with reporters Monday, called for immigration reform and increased oversight there.
And though he hasn’t taken a position on impeachment, Congressman Delgado called on Congress to “aggressively investigate” whether President Donald Trump worked to obstruct former FBI director Robert Mueller’s investigation of his 2016 campaign.
“I share in the outrage that people have expressed over the treatment of our fellow human beings…especially young children,” Congressman Delgado said of conditions at the US-Mexico border and in migrant detention centers, where conditions have been called squalid and dangerously overcrowded.
“I find it unconscionable. Our country needs to get serious about immigration reform and what is happening at the border.”
The House Oversight Committee will hold a hearing this week about conditions at the border and the Congressman said he looks forward to the testimony.
“I have a lot of concerns over the ways this administration is dealing with the flow of asylum seekers,” he said, calling for appropriate resources and funding to properly process their claims.
Any facility that can’t provide the safe and sanitary conditions required by law has no place in America, he added.
Local activists will take that message to the streets Friday as part of a nationwide Lights for Liberty vigil protesting “the mistreatment of people at our borders.”
The vigil is set for 7pm in Veterans Park.
Congressman Delgado voted in factor of a $4.5 billion border funding bill intended to improve conditions at the border.
Taking questions from reporters, Congressman Delgado also talked about calls for Congress to look into whether President Trump’s action during the Mueller investigation warrant impeachment, something the freshman Democrat hasn’t yet taken a position on.
“We need to continue as we have been, which is to aggressively investigate,” he said. “Mueller coming in to testify is a very good development. The more we investigate…we get the evidence underlying the Mueller report.”
Mr. Mueller has agreed to appear before the House Intelligence and Judiciary Committees next Wednesday, the first time he’s testified publicly about his two-year investigation and 448-page report.
Congressman Delgado also spoke about his visits to two Montgomery County farms, Stubborn Girl Farm in Fort Plain and Dygert Farms, a 200-cow dairy in Fort Plain and championed efforts Cornell University is doing to match veterans looking for meaningful work with farmers looking for workers.
“It’s a nice match,” he said, but one that needs support at the federal level to work.