Democrats are the deplorable ones — for putting politics over the safety and security of the American people.

They know that our nation is in the midst of an opioid epidemic, with the drugs poisoning our citizens, destroying families and ravaging communities across the U.S. So doesn’t it make sense to secure the porous southern border — by any means necessary — to stop the cartels from bringing fentanyl, heroin and other deadly drugs into our country?

Of course it does, but self-serving Democrats are more interested in scoring political points with their base by resisting the Trump agenda than protecting American lives.

It’s no wonder voters hold such a low opinion of politicians. Who can blame them?

The partial government shutdown which has put Trump in a corner is the left’s chance to get a deal on DACA as the president has made clear he’s willing to make a deal in exchange for a barrier or wall along the southern border. But partisan Democrats are so blinded by their unbridled quest to regain control of the West Wing come 2020 that they’re willing to throw an estimated 11 million “Dreamers” under the bus — when they could be obtaining amnesty for them.

That’s a gargantuan missed opportunity that will bleed support from the Hispanic community, no doubt.

Then there’s the fact that the Democratic Party, including its leadership, widely supported and voted for billions of dollars for border security — including hundreds of miles of fencing currently in place — over the past two decades, but now since Trump’s involved they refuse to work in a bipartisan manner and support both a barrier wall and additional common sense measures. That’s not leadership.

Liberals know that criminals, terrorists and gangs, including the ultra-violent MS-13, are crossing the border and putting citizens in harm’s way. And knowing that it only took 19 hijackers to destroy the World Trade Center, hit the Pentagon and take over Flight 93 that crashed in a field during 9/11 should be enough to compel both parties to work together to prevent another cataclysmic attack — not play games with our safety.

Bottom line: Every day Democrats refuse to secure the border brings them a step closer to becoming the party of drugs and thugs. Not a winning platform leading into 2020.

Adriana Cohen is nationally syndicated columnist, Herald Radio host and TV commentator.