Director of Progressive Immigration Group: Caravan Is 'Political Nightmare' for Democrats

The founder and director of America's Voice, a progressive group that advocates for illegal immigrants in the United States, said Thursday that the migrant caravan at the U.S.-Mexico border is a "political nightmare" for Democrats.

Frank Sharry is the founder and executive director of America’s Voice, which seeks a "direct, fair, and inclusive road to citizenship for immigrants in the United States without papers," among other measures.

"The Takeout" podcast host Major Garrett, CBS News' chief White House correspondent, askedSharry about President Donald Trump's message that Republicans support national security and lawful immigration, while Democrats support open borders and the caravan.

Sharry called Trump's claim that Democrats want open borders "ridiculous" and a "distortion." He said the message, however, played well to Trump's base, while also presenting a "nightmare" for Democrats.

"I operate very closely in Democratic circles, and I can tell you that they saw the caravan as a political nightmare," he said. Whatever their actual policy preferences, Democrats "think the idea of being defined as [pro] open borders is a liability."

He credited Trump with tying Democrats to "open borders" and "sanctuary cities," even when they support border security measures.

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