Even Bill Clinton says there’s a ‘limit’ to how many migrants US can take

Former President Bill Clinton said the US has a “limit” on the number of migrants they can take into the country and said there are some who are “playing” the system.

“There is a limit to the number of migrants a society can take in without serious disruption and aid, and our system is much more based on the assumption that things would be more normal,” the former president said, referring to record border crossings.

Border agents have encountered more than 2.1 million border crossings this fiscal year, the highest number ever in the history of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). In August there were 203,000 crossings.

On a CNN podcast with host Fareed Zakaria, Clinton recalled childhood immigration, when Mexican migrants went back and forth at the border to work in agriculture, and it “worked for people.”

“It’s an old story, but now you have the largest number of refugees since World War II because of Syria and now Ukraine and other problems,” he said.

He also noted the increase in migrants from Venezuela as he fired shots at the Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for bus transportation of migrants to Washington, DC, New York and Chicago.

What’s happening in Venezuela, with more than 2 million refugees pouring into Colombia first and then neighboring countries, has created unprecedented new challenges, while providing opportunities for stunts like the Abbott administration’s – sending its refugees to places he thinks that it advocates a broad policy that it does not have to live with,” he said.

Texas has brought more than 10,000 migrants to blue cities, and the Florida government Ron DeSantis and the Arizona government Doug Ducey have followed suit.

The former Democratic president also fired at DeSantis’ chartered plane carrying 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.

Clinton also noted the increase in migrants from Venezuela as he fired shots at the Texas Gov. Greg Abbott for bus transportation of migrants to Washington, DC, New York and Chicago.

Venezuelan migrants prepare to walk past US border fence after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico to turn themselves in to US border police on Sept. 22

Venezuelan migrants hug as they reach US border fence to turn themselves in to US border police after crossing the Rio Grande from Mexico

“DeSantis sent those people to Martha’s Vineyard was great. That might haunt him a little bit,” Clinton predicted.

Clinton, 76, has long been more right-wing on immigration — and a number of other matters — than most Democrats today.

He said in his 1996 State of the Union address, “There are a number of areas that the federal government cannot leave and that they must vigorously address and tackle. One of these areas is the problem of illegal immigration. After years of neglect, this government has taken a strong stand to strengthen the protection of our borders. We are increasing border controls by 50 percent. We are increasing inspections to prevent illegal immigrants from being hired. And tonight I announce that I will sign an executive order denying federal contracts to companies that hire illegal immigrants.”