# Democrat speaker attacked for linking border security to 9/11

> Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton faces GOP backlash after suggesting Trump's immigration crackdown could provoke terrorist retaliation.
- Title: Democrat speaker attacked for linking border security to 9/11
- Summary: Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton faces GOP backlash after suggesting Trump's immigration crackdown could provoke terrorist retaliation…
- Keywords: breaking, joanna mcclinton, ryan mackenzie, pennsylvania house, immigration enforcement, border security, trump administration, 9/11, ice, illegal border crossings, democrat, republican
- Source: Fox News — https://foxnews.com/politics/dem-house-speaker-torched-invoking-9-11-attack-key-trump-policy-totally-wrong
- Author: Leo Briceno
- Published: 2026-09-16T00:00:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: breaking, joanna mcclinton, ryan mackenzie, pennsylvania house, immigration enforcement, border security, trump administration, 9/11, ice, illegal border crossings, democrat, republican
## Speaker links border policy to terror threat
Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton warned that Trump's immigration crackdown could provoke retaliation, invoking the 25 years since 9/11 and concerns about how U.S. policies are perceived globally.

> our policies are impacting our perception around the world
## GOP demands apology for 'totally wrong' comments
Rep. Ryan Mackenzie called McClinton's remarks totally wrong and demanded she apologize for suggesting border security efforts could lead to another attack.

> She's totally wrong. She's answering to the far-left radicals and globalists.
## Mackenzie: focus should be protecting Americans
Mackenzie argued McClinton should prioritize defending American citizens rather than criticizing immigration enforcement, saying her rhetoric pushes a radical agenda.

> What she should be doing is making sure that we're protecting and defending American citizens
## Border crossings hit historic lows under Trump
Illegal border encounters dropped 76.5 percent from 144,000 in December 2024 to 33,800 in July, undercutting Democratic arguments about enforcement tactics.
## McClinton's history of ICE criticism
The Pennsylvania speaker has previously compared ICE agents to domestic terrorists and called their enforcement actions brutal, framing immigration enforcement as excessive.
## Democrats struggle to attack Trump's immigration wins
McClinton's criticism highlights the challenge Democrats face attacking Trump's enforcement agenda while border crossings have fallen sharply, leaving them vulnerable on the issue.
## Key takeaway

McClinton's comparison of immigration enforcement to potential terrorism sparked demands for an apology from Republican lawmakers who point to record-low border crossings under Trump.