McConnell slams Democrats over government shutdown and Trump's border wall: 'Walls and barriers are not immoral. How silly!'

Associated Press/J. Scott Applewhite

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is met by reporters as he arrives at the Capitol on the first morning of a partial government shutdown, as Democratic lawmakers, and some Republicans, are at odds with President Donald Trump on spending for his border wall, in Washington, Saturday, Dec. 22, 2018.

• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday bashed his Democratic colleagues over the partial government shutdown.
• McConnell slammed Democrats for not supporting Trump's call for funding for a wall along the US-Mexico border.
• The debate over funding for a border wall has led to a partial government shutdown that's lasted over two weeks. 
• McConnell accused Democrats of indulging in a "partisan tantrum" over the "public interest." 

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday bashed his Democratic colleagues over the partial government shutdown, and backed up President Donald Trump's call for a wall along the US-Mexico border. 

McConnell accused Democrats of indulging in a "partisan tantrum" over the "public interest." 

"Walls and barriers are not immoral," McConnell said. "How silly!"

Alluding to the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which was supported by then-Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, McConnell contended Democrats used to support "physical barriers" but are now acting out of "political spite." 

Read more: Trump's insistence on a border wall ignores the fact roughly half of all undocumented immigrants entered the country legally

"The only things that have changed between then and now are the political wins, and of course the occupant of the White House," McConnell said. 

The Secure Fence Act of 2006 authorized building a fence along roughly 700 miles of the border between the United States and Mexico, and was nowhere near as substantial a project as the wall Trump has proposed. 

Democratic leaders in the present day have offered Trump $1.3 billion funding toward more fencing and border security, but have refused to approve the more than $5 billion the president has requested for the wall. 

This standoff has led to a partial government shutdown that's lasted over two weeks and has no end in sight. 

McConnell's remarks on the Senate floor came as President Donald Trump was poised to deliver an Oval Office address on border security on Tuesday night. 

Read more: Trump averaged 15 falsehoods a day in 2018

The Trump administration in recent days has been under fire for a series of falsehoods it's offered in relation to border security as it's sought to garner support for the wall. This included a claim from Trump last week that past presidents privately offered their support for his border wall plan, which all four of the living former presidents have denied.

Experts have long pointed to the border wall as an inadequate means of addressing the myriad issues related to immigration in the US.