Trump Told CBP Head He’d Pardon Him if He Illegally Blocked Migrants From Entering U.S.: CNN

During President Trump’s visit to the southern border in California, he reportedly told Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan that if he were to go to jail for blocking migrants from entering the U.S., he would pardon him. According to CNN, Trump told McAleenan—who is now acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security—that he “would pardon him if he ever went to jail for denying US entry to migrants.” The New York Times also reported Trump told McAleenan to close the border during his visit, despite previously stating he would delay that decision until next year. It’s unclear whether Trump’s remarks to McAleenan was a joke or not. The White House referred comment to the Department of Homeland Security, and a DHS spokesman told both CNN and the Times that Trump never “directed or pressured the Acting Secretary to do anything illegal.” The spokesman added that McAleenan would never “take actions that are not in accordance with our responsibility to enforce the law.”