Speaking at a border security and immigration roundtable in Long Island Thursday, President Donald Trump doubled down on his comments from last week, calling members of the violent MS-13 gang "animals" again.

"I called them animals the other day, and I was met with rebuke. [Democrats] said, 'They're people.' They're not people; these are animals and we have to be very, very tough," Trump said.

He criticized Democrats for "defending" MS-13, calling out House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., by name. The president also said Democrats must "abandon their resistance to border security."