Border patrol and congressional gridlock: Immigration Policy Forum held in Pittston

PITTSTON, LUZERNE CO. (WOLF) — Immigration policies and the government shutdown dominating much of the discussion at a forum in Pittston on Friday hosted by Americans for Prosperity-Pennsylvania.

Friday night’s forum allowed Former U.S. Border Patrol Chief Chris Clem and United States Representative Rob Bresnahan to speak to attendees on immigration and the government shutdown.

For the past 24 days, the United States Government has been shut down, resulting in lost paychecks for federal workers, and looming benefit losses for those on programs like SNAP.

The stalemate is centered around the border, according to Clem.

“This administration has drawn the line that we will not use U.S. taxpayer dollars to fund programs or any kind of taxpayer benefits for people who have no legal right to be here in the United States,” he said.

“Even though, yes, the law says you cannot be an illegal alien and get funded, but the indirect costs that the states handle come from the federal government."

Clem and Rep. Bresnahan had their first meeting in Arizona, where the representative shared what he saw at the southern border.

“I watched a family walk around the wall, get on an airplane and fly to Newark. They were on my same flight, and I was only there for a period of thirty hours,” said Rep. Bresnahan.