Sen. Flake: President's Border Proposal Needs 'Significant Changes'

Tonight, Homeland Security Secretary Jeff Johnson and Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell are holding a private briefing for all senators.

The briefing comes as part of the Obama Administration's push this week to try to persuade lawmakers to approve the president's request for $3.7 billion in emergency funding to address the surge in unaccompanied minors coming in from Central America.

Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake will be at the briefing tonight and joins Here & Now's Jeremy Hobson to share his thoughts on the president's proposal, and how to address the situation at the border.

On what needs to be done to stem the flow of unaccompanied children

"There needs to be a change to the 2008 law. The unaccompanied minors need to be treated the same whether they're from Guatemala or Mexico. That will go a long way toward giving the president the tools for dealing with this situation."

On what would be different if immigration reform had passed in the House

"The situation, I believe, would be better. One, we would have increased resources at the border, including judges and people in the legal system to move these cases more quickly. Plus, if we have a legal framework for individuals from these countries to come here as a legal guest worker and then return home. Then there would be less of a need to bring family along."

On protesters in Oracle, Ariz. who intended to block buses of children

"There are a lot of people frustrated — states, governors, elected officials — that there doesn't seem to be the coordination and consultation that should exist between the federal government and local governments. Having said that, I think it was unfortunate and I hope that people who are leading those kind of protests would reconsider. I don't think it speaks well for us."