Fox News' Ainsley Earhardt Says Government Shutdown Merely 'An Inconvenience'
Fox News’ Ainsley Earhardt on Wednesday downplayed the government shutdown’s impact on Americans, calling it a mere “inconvenience.” Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been left without pay for nearly two weeks.
During Wednesday’s “Fox & Friends,” co-host Brian Kilmeade lamented the continued closure of national parks and museums caused by the partial government shutdown as it headed into its 12th day.
But Earhardt suggested the shutdown is a small price to pay because President Donald Trump just wants Americans to be safe.
“It is an inconvenience, yes,” Earhardt told her co-hosts. “But the president is saying, ‘Most [immigrants] are good people, but there are some bad apples in the group.’”
She continued, “And even though it is an inconvenience, he’s saying that your safety and your security as an American ― he said you deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant. And we’ve seen that happen.”
Studies show undocumented immigrants commit less crime than native-born citizens. In fact, states with more undocumented immigrants have lower crime rates than states with fewer of them.
Ainsley Earhardt: The government shutdown is “an inconvenience,” but “you deserve to be able to go to sleep at night and not have to worry about being killed by an illegal immigrant.” pic.twitter.com/BiYK6tCiw8
— Bobby Lewis (@revrrlewis) January 2, 2019
Though Earhardt can apparently carry on as usual during the shutdown, many of her viewers may not be so lucky. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers have been furloughed or continue to work without pay if the government deems their job essential.
Though federal employees will receive retroactive pay after Congress and Trump reach an agreement on a spending bill, government contractors will likely never get back pay.
In any case, retroactive pay won’t prevent some federal workers from missing rent or mortgage payments during a prolonged shutdown.
“Most of us live paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford to be unpaid and still go to work for long. It is not fair,” a Transportation Security Administration employee told HuffPost.
Without staffing, national parks like Yosemite in California and Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado are being overwhelmed with trash and vandalism. On Wednesday, the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., announced it had run out of funding to keep the National Zoo and its museums open.
The latest shutdown, one of three in 2018, has some federal workers worrying this could become the new norm.
All we want to do is go to work, protect the American people, and bring home a paycheck to provide for our families. What are we supposed to do without a paycheck? I don’t want another job, it is my honor to do what I do. #ShutdownStories
— Brian Turner (@BTurner1863) December 28, 2018
My insurance premium is $600 per month & my sons Insulin & pump supplies are an additional $600 per quarter. Barely making it. Now I'll be going to work.....paid in the future. #ShutdownStories
— Mizz Dub (@nikkita_atikkin) December 25, 2018
I'm a contracted employee for the federal government and the difference is that there is no chance of compensation for the shutdown days for me and others in my position. #ShutdownStories
— NPSF (@Newstent1) December 25, 2018
I am a single mother of 3 with no help. Not knowing if I can pay rent or feed my family next week is hard and all that’s on my mind this day of Christmas when I should be happy. My kids feel my anxiety too 😔 #ShutdownStories
— mj4ever (@mj4ever) December 25, 2018
This story has been updated with additional detail about the shutdown.
HuffPost readers: Are you affected by the government shutdown? Email us about it. If you’re willing to be interviewed, please provide a phone number.
Related Coverage
What Happens In A Partial Government Shutdown
Shutdown Leaves Government Contractors Without Work And Likely No Back Pay
TSA Workers Vent Anger At Shutdown As They Work Without Pay Over Holidays
National Parks Getting Trashed During Government Shutdown
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This article originally appeared on HuffPost.