Former Congressman and potential 2020 Democratic nominee Beto O’Rourke falsely claimed that the United States border with Mexico is “already fully secured,” and that constructing a wall to stop illegal immigration “will ensure death” of innocent civilians.

In an extensive interview with The Washington Post, the 46-year-old reportedly expressed his belief that the “border is already fully secured and that further investment would take it even further ‘past the point of diminishing returns,’ pushing migrants seeking to cross the border illegally into more dangerous and desolate territory.”

“You will ensure death,” he said of President Donald Trump’s desire to construct a border wall in an effort to stop the continuous flow of illegal immigration. “You and I, as Americans, have caused the deaths of others through these walls.”

Democrats’ refusal to make a deal with Trump over the border wall is the reason for the longest government shutdown in history. As a result, around 800,000 federal workers are not getting paid, while many essential government departments are not receiving the necessary funding to carry out their activities.

During the interview, O’Rourke also questioned the usefulness of the “principles” of the U.S. Constitution, describing it as the real “question of the moment.”

“Can an empire like ours with a military presence in over 170 countries around the globe, with trading relationships … and security agreements in every continent, can it still be managed by the same principles that were set down 230-plus years ago?” he posited when asked whether the U.S. could ever see the implementation of radical change.

The former El Paso Congressman, who was defeated by Republican Ted Cruz in their competitive Senate race last November, is currently considering whether to run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

Last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that O’Rourke is planning a road trip to meet voters outside of Texas. He is also scheduled for a one-to-one Q&A with Oprah Winfrey in New York next month as part of her star-studded interview series “Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations from Times Square.”

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