Washington, March 24 (IANS) US President Donald Trump urged Republicans to link voter identification and proof-of-citizenship requirements to a key Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding bill, escalating a political standoff with Democrats over airport disruptions and border security.
Speaking at a roundtable in Memphis, Trump said lawmakers should not approve any deal unless it includes what he called the “SAVE America Act”. “Don’t make any deal on anything unless you include voter ID and you have to be a citizen to vote,” he said.
He argued that voter identification and citizenship checks were integral to national security. “The most important part of Homeland Security is voter ID and proof of citizenship,” Trump said, adding that the measures should be “welded” into the DHS funding legislation.
Trump also criticised Democrats over ongoing disruptions at US airports, linking long security lines and staffing issues to the funding impasse. “The Democrats are fully to blame with the struggle of the great American public is going through at the airports,” he said.
He described the situation as “extortion by the Democrats”, accusing them of withholding already approved funding. Trump said his administration had responded by deploying Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel to assist Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at airports.
“We just put ICE in charge, and they’re helping TSA, the agents, and they’re working together so far very well,” he said, adding that the National Guard could also be deployed if needed.
The President framed the dispute as part of a broader political and policy battle over immigration and election rules. He criticised what he described as Democratic priorities, saying they were focused on “illegal immigrants” and “sanctuary cities” rather than security measures.
Trump also pressed Republican lawmakers to take a harder line in negotiations. “Republicans, do not settle with Democrats and let them out of this hole that they’ve buried themselves in,” he said.
He suggested that eliminating the Senate filibuster could help pass the legislation. “If you can get rid of the filibuster, it would be great,” Trump said, calling for swift action.
The push to tie voter ID requirements to DHS funding reflects Trump’s broader emphasis on election integrity and border security as central themes of his administration.
–IANS
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