WATCH: Border Agents Give Media An Education About The Border

President Donald Trump held a surprise news conference on Thursday with members of the National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) who addressed the media about the realities that Border Patrol agents face every day on the southern border.

Trump started by congratulating Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) on becoming Speaker of the House before transitioning into talking about the border and turning the mic over to NBPC President Brandon Judd.

“I’ve been a Border Patrol agent for 21 years,” Judd said. “I can personally tell you, from the work that I have done on the southwest border, that physical barriers, that walls actually work. You hear a lot of talk that there are experts that say that walls don’t work. I promise you that if you interview Border Patrol agents, they will tell you that walls work.”

“We need those physical barriers, and we appreciate President Trump and all of his efforts in getting us those physical barriers,” Judd added. “There’s also a lot of talk on this shutdown, that federal employees do not agree with the shutdown. I will tell you that’s not true.”

WATCH:

National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd: “I can personally tell you from the work that I have done on the southwest border that physical barriers, that walls actually work. I promise you that if you interview Border Patrol agents they will tell you that walls work.” pic.twitter.com/gZIIyA6UpT

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 3, 2019

“We are all affected by this shutdown,” NBPC Vice President Art Del Cueto said. ‘We have skin in the game. However, it comes down to border security. And we are extremely grateful to President Trump, and we fully support what he is doing to take care of our nation’s borders, to take care of the future of this United States.”

“It has nothing to do with political parties,” Del Cueto continued. “You all got to ask yourself this question: If I come to your home, do you want me to knock on the front door, or do you want me to climb through that window?”

WATCH:

NBPC Vice President Art Del Cueto on border security: “It has nothing to do with political parties. You all have to ask yourselves this question, ‘If I come to your home, do you want me to knock on your front door or do you want me to climb through that window?’” pic.twitter.com/lFQqSphtjb

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 3, 2019

“I just want to talk about some of those criminals that Border Patrol agents apprehend on a daily basis,” NBPC Vice President Hector Garza said. “We’re talking about murderers, rapists, people that commit very serious crimes in this country.”

“ICE has been doing an amazing job in deporting a lot of these people back to their countries,” Garza continued. “Unfortunately, once we deport these people, these people will not stay in their country. These criminal aliens that have been released from jail, that have been deported, will come right back into the United States. However, if we had a physical barrier, if we had a wall, we would be able to stop that.”

WATCH:

NBPC Vice President Hector Garza says Border Patrol agents apprehend on a daily basis "murderers," "rapists," and "people that commit very serious crimes" in the U.S.

“If we had a wall we would be able to stop” these criminals from re-entering the U.S. after ICE deports them. pic.twitter.com/8KLw5OW13n

— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) January 3, 2019