By Greg Halbleib

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin worries that the United States will ultimately suffer in an escalating trade war with China.

Durbin (D-Ill.) said he’s no friend of China, but fears what he calls a “scattershot” approach by President Trump will have negative effects here.

“There will be a lot of innocent victims including a lot of workers in the U.S. who depend on steel and aluminum to build John Deere tractors, to build Caterpillar machinery,” Durbin told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin. “All of these things are going to be affected by this president and it’s going to hurt American jobs.”

Durbin says China has discriminated against the U.S. and we need to be as tough as possible, but not to this point.

PODCAST: Listen here to the full interview.

Durbin is also joining the voices against the current immigration policy that’s resulting in children being separated from their parents.

He said the children are pawns in President Trump’s increased efforts to close the borders.

“It is an effort by this administration to discourage people from coming at the expense of these children and their mothers in this situation,” Durbin said. “Is this who we really are? Is this what the United States wants as an image in the world? The condemnations are coming from all over.”

Durbin worries about lasting psychological effects on the children.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].