Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) issued a statement following President Donald Trump’s announcement on Friday that the federal government would reopen for three weeks, saying he is glad Democrats recognize the dangers of government shutdowns and a porous border.

“Illegal aliens and America’s porous southern border cause, at a minimum, 50 deaths on American soil every single day,” Brooks said in the statement.

Trump said the government would temporarily reopen to allow federal employees to be paid and provide time to negotiate for funding and building a wall on the U.S. southern border.

If no deal on border security is made by at the end of the Continuing Resolution on February 15, Trump said he would shut down the government again or invoke national emergency authority to get the border wall funded and built.

“It is fantastic that Democrats recognize the twin evils of shutdowns and the carnage caused by illegal aliens and America’s porous southern border,” Brooks said.

“I look forward to negotiating with Democrats to save American lives by beefing up our border security, building the required border barrier, and preventing yet another avoidable, economically damaging shutdown over border security funding disputes,” Brooks said.

In his remarks, Trump said he would go forward with plans to build a wall but did not say how it would be funded. If a national emergency is declared, it would allow the president to use money other than what is appropriated by Congress.

“Over the next 21 days, I expect both Democrats and Republicans will operate in good faith,” Trump said. “This is an opportunity for all parties to work together for the benefit of our whole, beautiful, wonderful nation.”

“As Commander in Chief, my highest priority is the defense of our great country,” Trump said. “We cannot surrender operations control over the nation’s borders to foreign cartels, traffickers, and smugglers.”

“We want future Americans to come to our country legally and through a system based on merit,” Trump said.

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