Congressman Adam Kinzinger (official portrait)

By Neil Doyle

Congressman Adam Kinzinger has returned from a recent deployment to the U.S.-Mexico border and is agreeing with the President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration.

Kinzinger appeared on CBS television’s Face the Nation on Sunday morning and said President Trump’s emergency proclamation is necessary. The Bloomington native said certain activities along the border are troublesome.

“Now you have this crisis, now I don’t think the actual migration of families or calling for asylum is a crisis, what I saw was a lot of people coming over the border with a lot of drugs and human trafficking,” said Kinzinger.

Kinzinger speaks from a unique perspective. Kinzinger visited the border in his role as a Lieutenant Colonel and pilot with the Wisconsin Air National Guard. During his CBS interview he discussed events he had personally observed from the cockpit while flying surveillance missions out of Tucson, Arizona.

Kinzinger said he does not think the White House move to bypass Congress and declare a national emergency is unconstitutional.

While the national emergency declaration is being challenged, Kinzinger added that he will not try to block the president’s declaration.

Adam Kinzinger is a Republican representing the Illinois 16th Congressional District, which includes Livingston County.