IMMIGRATION OFFICIAL ANNOUNCING
A NEW RULE MAKING IMMIGRANTS IN
THIS COUNTRY LEGAL POSSIBLY
INELIGIBLE FOR GREEN CARDS IF
THEY ARE RECEIVING PUBLIC
ASSISTANCE.
>> PRESIDENT TRUMP'S
ADMINISTRATION IS REINFORCING
THE IDEALS OF SELF-SUFFICIENCY
AND PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY.
ENSURING THAT IMMIGRANTS ARE
ABLE TO SUPPORT THEMSELVES AND
BECOME SUCCESSFUL HERE IN
AMERICA.
I'M CERTAINLY NOT PREPARED TO
TAKE ANYTHING DOWN OFF THE
STATUE OF LIBERTY.
WE HAVE A LONG HISTORY OF BEING
ONE OF THE MOST WELCOMING
NATIONS IN THE WORLD.
MELISSA: WITH ME NOW IS THE
HERITAGE FOUNDATION'S KELSEY
BOLAR.
YOU SAY THIS ISN'T THE FIRST
TIME WE HAVE HAD THIS KIND OF A
RULE IN PLACE.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
HI, MELISSA.
I THINK EVERYBODY JUST NEEDS TO
TAKE A DEEP BREATH WHEN IT COMES
TO THIS POLICY.
LOOK, THIS IS ACTUALLY SOMETHING
THAT HAS EXISTED IN OUR
IMMIGRATION LAWS FOR DECADES.
WHAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS
DOING IN THIS CASE IS CLARIFYING
THIS RULE BECAUSE THERE REALLY
WASN'T THAT MUCH CLARITY
BEFOREHAND.
AND REALLY, THE MESSAGE IT IS
SENDING IS THAT IF YOU'RE COMING
TO THIS COUNTRY, IF YOU WANT TO
IMMIGRATE HERE, YOU NEED TO BE
ABLE TO SUSTAIN YOURSELF AND NOT
ADD TO OUR PUBLIC SPENDING, OUR
DEBT PROBLEM, WHICH WE KNOW
CONGRESS IS NOT VERY CAPABLE OF
HANDLING THEMSELVES RIGHT NOW.
LOOK, IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT
OUT WE ALSO STILL HAVE OUR
ASYLUM PROCESS.
WE ARE WELCOME TO REFUGEES.
THOSE SYSTEMS DID NOT CHANGE.
I THINK SOME OF THE OUTRAGE, THE
PUBLIC BACKLASH AGAINST THIS NEW
RULE IS REALLY MANUFACTURED.
MELISSA: THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT
ARE TRYING TO IMMIGRATE FOR
ECONOMIC REASONS; RIGHT?
THAT'S WHAT THIS IS KIND OF
ABOUT.
IT'S INTERESTING IF YOU LOOK AT
GERMANY FOR EXAMPLE, WHERE THEY
HAVE THIS POLICY, AND THEY HAVE
BEEN CRITICIZED AMONG THE MOST
IN THE EU, THEY ARE TRYING TO
GET PEOPLE THERE SO THEY CAN
WORK, THEIR REQUIREMENTS INCLUDE
BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT YOURSELF,
ALREADY HAVING HEALTH INSURANCE,
YOU HAVE TO PROVE YOU PURCHASED
HEALTH INSURANCE FOR YOURSELF
AND YOU HAVE TO SPEAK THE
LANGUAGE.
CAN YOU IMAGINE IF PRESIDENT
TRUMP PILED ON ALL THREE OF
THOSE STANDARDS AND SAID THAT
IMMIGRANTS NEEDED TO HAVE THOSE
AT THE SAME TIME?
NOBODY IS YELLING AT MERKEL THAT
SHE'S BEEN XEEN -- XENOPHOBIC?
>> AS IT RELATES TO IMMIGRATION
POLICIES THAT WE SEE IN EUROPE,
IN GERMANY, AS YOU JUST
MENTIONED, DENMARK IS A REALLY
INTERESTING COUNTRY TO ALSO LOOK
AT BECAUSE ALTHOUGH THEY DID
ELECT A NEW DEMOCRAT SOCIALIST
PRIME MINISTER, SHE'S VERY TOUGH
ON IMMIGRATION LAWS, FAR MORE
TOUGH THAN WE ARE HERE IN THE
UNITED STATES.
THEY ARE CAPPING THE NUMBERS,
AND WE HAVE TO REMEMBER, PUT
THIS INTO PERSPECTIVE, THE
UNITED STATES LETS IN MORE
IMMIGRANTS THAN ANY OTHER
COUNTRY IN THE ENTIRE WORLD.
MELISSA: YEAH, WHAT DO YOU MAKE
OF THE SITUATION THAT WE SAW
WITH THE I.C.E. RAIDS THAT WENT
IN THE CHICKEN FACTORIES IN THE
SOUTH?
I KNOW ABOUT HALF OF THE PEOPLE
THAT WERE PICKED UP WERE
RELEASED FOR HUMANITARIAN
REASONS SO THEY COULD GO HOME
AND CARE FOR THEIR CHILDREN.
AT THE SAME TIME, LAW
ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS SAYING
THAT THIS WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER
TO PROSECUTE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
RUNNING THOSE PLANTS.
I MEAN, THE BUSINESSES WHERE --
I'VE VISITED PLANTS LIKE THIS IN
THE PAST.
IT IS GRISLY, DIFFICULT WORK,
AND THE IDEA THAT THEY WERE
HIRING ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS MAKES
YOU THINK THAT THEY WERE EITHER,
YOU KNOW, PAYING THEM LOWER
WAGES OR THEY WANTED TO HIRE
PEOPLE THAT WEREN'T IN THE
POSITION POTENTIALLY TO COMPLAIN
ABOUT, YOU KNOW, TERRIBLE WORK
CONDITIONS, POSSIBLY.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> RIGHT, WELL I DON'T THINK
IT'S FAIR TO DEMONIZE I.C.E. AND
OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS
WHO ARE A PART OF THIS AS WE
HAVE SEEN PLAY OUT IN THE PAST
COUPLE OF DAYS OR WEEK.
THIS WAS PLANNED IN ADVANCE, AND
LOOK, IF YOU COMMIT ANY OTHER
CRIME IN THE UNITED STATES, AND
YOU HAVE CHILDREN, YOU WILL AT
LEAST TEMPORARILY BE SEPARATED
FROM THEM.
IT APPEARS THAT THEY DID HAVE
PLANS IN PLACE WHERE THEY
RELEASED THE PARENTS, IF THEY
HAD SOLE CUSTODY OF THEIR
CHILDREN.
AT THE END OF THE DAY, WE CAN'T
BE A SOVEREIGN NATION IF WE
DON'T HAVE IMMIGRATION LAWS, AND
THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO ENFORCE
THEM.
WE HAVE TO SEND THE MESSAGE THAT