CNN anchor spars with GOP rep who accuses CNN of ‘misleading the public’: ‘What’s the emergency?’

CNN anchor John Berman sparred with Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) over illegal immigration on Friday as he pressed the lawmaker to provide evidence of an “emergency” along the U.S.-Mexico border.

The exchange “New Day” came as Berman questioned why construction of President Trump’s proposed border wall was urgently required at a time when the federal government is partially shut down.

Brooks argued Trump had the right to call for a national emergency, appearing to compare it to action taken by the United States after the 9/11 attacks.

{mosads}”What we’re facing today is a national emergency of major proportions,” Brooks said, referring to illegal border crossings. “And Congress has delegated to the president of the United States the right … to declare a national emergency under certain circumstances.”

“What’s the emergency?” Berman asked the congressman.

“Let’s look at 9/11 by way of example,” Brooks responded. “We lost 3,000 people, more or less, on 9/11. That justified going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan, and our troops are still there.”

“What’s the emergency?” @JohnBerman asks @RepMoBrooks about President Trump’s threat to declare a national emergency over border security.

“Look at 9/11,” Brooks says, comparing need for the President’s border wall to Sept. 11 death toll https://t.co/PR0KeMK2AW pic.twitter.com/ENP0ak23ZM

— New Day (@NewDay) January 11, 2019

Brooks went on to cite American deaths due to homicides committed by suspected illegal immigrants, as well as the ongoing opioid crisis, as reasons for Trump to declare a similar situation occurring at the southern border.

Trump has battled Congress for weeks over funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, with the White House demanding $5.7 billion and Democrats refusing to steer any funds for a border wall.

Friday marked the 21st day of the shutdown, which continue with no immediate end in sight.