WILD SUMMER WITH ROBERT MUELLER. >> A PHONY WITCH-HUNT.
>> "ALL IN" STARTS RIGHT NOW.
>> GOOD EVENING FROM NEW YORK.
I’M CHRIS HAYES.
EVERY DAY IT SEEMS THE PRESIDENT
OF THE UNITED STATES SOUNDS MORE
AND MORE LIKE AN AUTHORITARIAN
STRANG MAN FROM A COUNTRY WE NO
LONGER RECOGNIZE AS OUR OWN.
TODAY’S LATEST DEMONSTRATION
CAME AS IT SO OFTEN DOES, IN A
TWEET.
TWEET. QUOTE WE CANNOT ALLOW ALL OF
THESE PEOPLE.VADE OUR COUNTRY.
WHEN SOMEBODY COMES IN, WE MUST
IMMEDIATELY WITH NO JUDGES OR
COURT CASES BRING THEM BACK FROM
WHERE THEY CAME.
OUR SYSTEM IS A MOCKERY TO GOOD
IMMIGRATION POLICY AND LAW AND
ORDER.
ORDER. NOW YOU COULD WRITE OFF DONALD
TRUMP’S CONSTANT TWEET STORMING
AS NOTHING MORE THAN SOUND AND
FURY IF NOT FOR WHAT IS ACTUALLY
HAPPENING THIS VERY MOMENT IN
OUR COUNTRY.
OUR COUNTRY. THE 2300 IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
TAKEN FROM THEIR FAMILIES, SOME
OF THEM TODDLER, EVEN BABIES.
THE BUILDING OF TENT CITIES ON
MILITARY BASES, CAMPS TO HOLD
CHILDREN INSIDE WHICH WE ONLY
HAVE GOVERNMENT-PROVIDED IMAGES
BECAUSE MEDIA ARE NOT ALLOWED TO
INDEPENDENTLY RECORD WHAT GOES
ON INSIDE THERE.
THE TURNING AWAY OF ASYLUM
SEEKERS, WELL DOCUMENTED BY NOW,
AT PORTS OF ENTRY AGAINST OUR
OWN LAWS.
OWN LAWS. AND NOW ACCORDING TO THE TEXAS
TRIBUNE, OUR GOVERNMENT
EFFECTIVELY HOLDING MANY OF
THESE IMMIGRANT CHILDREN WE’VE
TAKEN FROM THEIR PARENTS,
CHILDREN OUR GOVERNMENT RIPPED
AWAY FROM THEM, HOLDING THEM AS
HOSTAGES TO THEN FORCE PEOPLE TO
GIVE UP THEIR LEGAL ASYLUM
CLAIMS AND AGREE TO BE DEPORTED.
THIS IS THE BACKDROP FOR THE
PRESIDENT’S EXPLICIT CALL TO
DEPORT PEOPLE AT WILL WITHOUT
ANY RECOURSE TO A LEGAL SYSTEM
OR ANY ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE
RULE OF LAW.
BUT FOR ANYONE TEMPTED TO SHRUG
OFF THE PRESIDENT’S TWEET THIS
MORNING, HE REVISITED THE TOPIC
LATER IN THE DAY.
>> AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE OUR
LAWS.
LAWS. WE HAVE TO MAKE THEM SENSIBLE.
THEY CAME IN TO SEE ME LAST
WEEK.
WEEK. THEY SAID WE’D LIKE TO HIRE
5,000 MORE JUDGES, 5,000.
YOU EVER HEAR OF A THING LIKE
THAT?
THAT? JUDGES.
JUDGES. WELL, WE’RE APPOINTING 145
JUDGES HERE, AND EVERYONE GOES
THROUGH THIS EXTREME VETTING
PROCESS.
PROCESS. YOU TALK ABOUT 5,000.
WHERE DO YOU FIND 5,000 PEOPLE
TO BE JUDGES?
AND YOU KNOW WHAT?
IT LEADS TO GRAFT.
IT LEADS TO A LOT OF OTHER
THINGS.
THINGS. >> THE PRESIDENT IS A LITTLE
CONFUSED ABOUT IMMIGRATION
JUDGES WHO ARE VERY DIFFERENT
THAN THE APPELLATE AND DISTRICT
COURT JUDGES HE IS APPOINTING.
BUT THAT’S FOR ANOTHER TIME.
NOW, IT HAS BAN THROUGH LINE OF
THIS PRESIDENT’S RHETORIC THAT
HE DOESN’T REALLY EVEN BOTHER TO
PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT THE
CONSTITUTION.
CONSTITUTION. MAKES NO PRETENSE OF IT.
BUT WE ARE CURRENTLY GETTING A
VERY BLEAK PICTURE OF WHAT THAT
WORLD VIEW LOOKS LIKE WHEN IT IS
PUT INTO PRACTICE ON VULNERABLE
POPULATIONS AT THE BORDER.
SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
DEMOCRATIC OF CONNECT VISITED A
TENT CITY FOR IMMIGRANT CHILDREN
LAST WEEK.
LAST WEEK. LET ME START BY ASKING YOU WHAT,
DOES IT LOOK LIKE UP CLOSE WHEN
YOU SAW IT?
>> AS YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTING SO
WELL FOR THE LAST WEEKS, CHRIS,
IT IS A HEARTBREAKING, DEEPENING
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS.
HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. AND AGAIN, THE THROUGH LINE HERE
IS IN EVERY ONE OF THESE
POLICIES, THE PRESIDENT IS USING
CHILDREN AS PAWNS AND HOSTAGES.
FIRST TO TRY TO PRESSURE
CONGRESS INTO CHANGING THE LAW.
HE IS NOW DEFYING IT.
THEN TO PERSUADE SOME OF THESE
ASYLUM SEEKERS TO LEAVE THE
COUNTRY IF THEY ARE REUNITED.
THERE IS NO PLAN FOR
REUNIONIFICATION.
REUNIONIFICATION. AND THERE IS DEEPENING CHAOS AND
CONFUSION, EVEN AMONG THE BORDER
AGENTS, THE BORDER PATROL AGENTS
AND THE U.S. CUSTOMS AND BOARD
EPROTECTION AGENTS WHO SAY WE
NEED MORE JUDGES.
WE NEED MORE RESOURCES TO
EFFECTIVELY AND FAIRLY ENFORCE
THE LAW.
THE LAW. SO ABANDONING AND ABROGATING DUE
PROCESS HAS CONSEQUENCES NOT
ONLY FINANCIALLY BUT ALSO
MORALLY.
MORALLY. >> BUT LET ME ASK YOU THIS.
YOU’RE A UNITED STATES SENATOR,
AND WE HAVE CONSISTENT REPORTING
THAT CBP IS TURNING PEOPLE AWAY
AT PORTS OF ENTRY WHEN ASKING
FOR ASYLUM.
FOR ASYLUM. THAT THEY EVEN IN SOME CASES
HAVE MOVED THEIR CHECKPOINT TO
THE MEDIAN OF THE BRIDGE SO THAT
NO TOE CAN TOUCH AMERICAN SOIL
THAT IS A VIOLATION ON ITS FACE
OF AMERICAN LAW.
WHAT IS CONGRESS DOING ABOUT
THAT?
THAT? >> THE CONGRESS VERY SADLY AND
UNCONSBLY IS DOING NOTHING.
AND I BELIEVE, AND I’M CALLING
FOR IT RIGHT NOW AND IN THE NEXT
FEW DAYS THAT CONGRESS MUST HAVE
HEARINGS.
HEARINGS. WE HAVE AN OVERSIGHT
RESPONSIBILITY.
RESPONSIBILITY. THE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE WHERE I
SIT SHOULD BE HAVING HEARINGS
THIS WEEK TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE
THE OFFICIALS FOR TURNING AWAY
THOSE ASYLUM SEEKERS, IN EFFECT
DENYING THEM THE CREDIBLE FEAR
HEARING THAT THEY’RE ENTITLED TO
RECEIVE IF THEY’RE IN THIS
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. AND ABROGATING DUE PROCESS.
REMEMBER, DUE PROCESS IS NOT
ONLY ABOUT FUNDAMENTAL FAIRNESS
AND THE RULE OF LAW, IT’S ALSO
ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
DETERMINATIONS ARE ACCURATE.
BECAUSE IN MANY INSTANCES, IF WE
UNFAIRLY AND INACCURATELY DENY
ASYLUM, WE ARE IN EFFECT VERY
LIKELY CONDEMNING THESE PEOPLE
TO DEATH, TORTURE, AND OTHER
FORMS OF VIOLENCE.
>> LET’S BE CLEAR, NOT JUST
THEM.
THEM. CORRECT ME IF I AM WRONG, WHAT
THE PRESIDENT IS CALLING FOR IS
AN EXTRA LEGAL AND NONREVIEWABLE
DEPORTATION FORCE THAT CAN
PATRIOTIC PEOPLE OUT OF THE
COUNTRY WITH NO JUDICIAL REVIEW.
THERE ANY REASON TO BELIEVE SUCH
A THING IS CONSTITUTIONAL OR B,
WOULD NOT RESULT IN AMERICAN
CITIZENS BEING DEPORTED?
>> IT WILL BE CHALLENGED.
IT WILL BE FOUND ILLEGAL AND
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL. WHEN AND IF IT’S CHALLENGED.
BUT MORE BROADLY AND
FUNDAMENTALLY, THIS COUNTRY IS
HEADING FOR A TRAIN WRECK AT THE
BORDER BECAUSE BEYOND THOSE DUE
PROCESS ISSUES ARISING WITH
RESPECT TO THE ASYLUM SEEKERS AT
THE PORTS OF ENTRY AND THE DUE
PROCESS HEARINGS, WE’RE ALSO
THREATENING, I SAY WE, THE
PRESIDENT IS THREATENING TO
IMPRISON TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
THESE INDIVIDUALS AS HE
CONTINUES TO PROSECUTE THEM IN
CAMPS THAT ARE VERY REMINISCE
SENT OF THE INTERNMENT
FACILITIES FOR THE JAPANESE
DURING WORLD WAR II ON MILITARY
BASES AT TREMENDOUS FINANCIAL
COSTS.
COSTS. IN FACT, I VISITED A FACILITY
VERY MUCH LIKE THE ONE THAT THE
PRESIDENT IS CONTEMPLATING, THE
COST PER PERSON THERE, $2,000
PER DAY.
PER DAY. THINK OF IT.
$2,000 PER DAY.
>> $2,000 PER DAY PER PERSON?
>> AT THE ILL TORNEO FACILITY IN
EL PASO.
EL PASO. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT FINANCIAL
COSTS BUT ALSO MORAL AND
HUMANITARIAN COST.
HUMANITARIAN COST. >> SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
THANK YOU FOR JOINING ME.
>> THANK YOU.
>> ATTORNEY NATALIA CORNELIO IS
OF THE TEXAS CIVIL RIGHTS
PROJECT.
PROJECT. THEY’VE BEEN REPRESENTING A LOT
OF THE FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN
DETAINED BY I.C.E. AND
PROSECUTED.
PROSECUTED. LET’S START WITH AN UPDATE WHAT
IS HAPPENING ON THE GROUND?
THERE IS LOTS OF CONFUSION.
LET ME START WITH THIS.
IS SEPARATION STILL HAPPENING,
OR HAS THAT STOPPED TO YOUR
KNOWLEDGE?
KNOWLEDGE? >> TO MY KNOWLEDGE, SEPARATION
HAS STOPPED.
HAS STOPPED. AS OF FRIDAY AND MONDAY, WE MET
NO PARENTS WHO HAD BEEN
SEPARATED FROM THEIR CHILDREN.
SO THE LAST TIME WE MET WITH
35R7B9
35R7B9 PARENTS WHO HAD BEEN SEPARATED
WHERE THEIR CHILDREN WAS LAST
THURSDAY, THE DAY AFTER THE
EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS SIGNED.
>> THERE IS CONFUSION BETWEEN
CBP SAYING WE’RE NOT
RECOMMENDING PEOPLE FOR
PROSECUTION.
PROSECUTION. DOJ WANTS TO KEEP SAYING WE’RE
PRUGT EVERYTHING EVERY EVERYONE.
BUT WHAT YOU HEARING ABOUT THIS
IDEA THAT WAS REPORTED IN THE
TEXAS TRIBUNE OF PARENTS
ESSENTIALLY BEING OFFER YOU’D
CAN GET YOUR KID BACK IF YOU
SIGN THIS AND AGREED TO BE
DEPORTED IMMEDIATELY AND WAIVE
YOUR RIGHT TO ASYLUM?
HAVE YOU HEARD THAT?
>> WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE
RELATIVE OF ONE OF OUR CLIENTS
THAT HE WAS TOLD THAT HE WOULD
BE REUNITED WITH HIS CHILD IF HE
SIGNED A VOLUNTARY DEPARTURE.
WE ALSO HEARD FROM THE MAJORITY
OF THE PEOPLE THAT WE
INTERVIEWED THAT THEY WOULD DO
ANYTHING TO BE REUNITED WITH
THEIR CHILD.
THEIR CHILD. SO THE CONCERN IS REGARDLESS OF
WHETHER THEY’RE TOLD EXPLICITLY
BY CBP THAT CHOICE OR NOT, ANY
DECISION THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO
MAKE REGARDING THEIR IMMIGRATION
SITUATION UNDER THE
CIRCUMSTANCES OF NOT HAVING
THEIR CHILD WITH THEM BY FORCE
IS CONCERNING.
IS CONCERNING. IT’S A COERCED DECISION,
ESSENTIALLY.
ESSENTIALLY. SO WE’RE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
>> IS THERE PROGRESS BEING MADE
IN NOTIFYING CLIENTS ABOUT WHERE
THEIR CHILDREN ARE AND HOW THEY
CAN GO ABOUT REUNIFYING WITH
THEM?
THEM? >> THE PROCESS IS VERY SLOW.
IT’S ESSENTIALLY IN DEPARTMENT
OF HOMELAND SECURITY’S HANDS.
OF COURSE, THIS ALL COULD HAVE
BEEN AVOIDED IF PARENTS HAD
NEVER BEEN SEPARATED FROM THEIR
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS
SCRAMBLING AS QUICKLY AS
POSSIBLE, ESSENTIALLY RACING THE
CLOCK TO TRY TO ASSURE THAT
PARENTS ARE UNIFIED WITH THEIR
CHILDREN BEFORE SOMETHING AS
SERIOUS AS A DEPORTATION,
SEPARATE FROM ONE ANOTHER.
AND WE DO KNOW OF AT LEAST ONE
CASE WHERE THE CHILDREN WERE
DEPORTED WHILE THE PARENTS
REMAINED IN CUSTODY IN THE
UNITED STATES.
UNITED STATES. >> THE CHILDREN WERE DEPORTED?
>> THAT’S A CONCERN.
>> THE CHILDREN WERE DEPORTED.
THIS IS IMPORTANT.
WE HAVE TRACKED NUMEROUS CASES
OF PARENTS BEING DEPORTED WHILE
CHILDREN REMAIN IN CUSTODY.
YOU’RE SAYING THE OP OPPOSITE.
CHILDREN BEING SENT BACK WITHOUT
THEIR PARENTS INTO A COUNTRY
THEY HAVE FLED BECAUSE OF
DANGER?
DANGER? >> THAT’S RIGHT.
IN AT LEAST ONE CASE, THAT’S
RIGHT.
RIGHT. >> WHAT DOES IT SAY TO YOU, OR
WHAT DO YOU HEAR WHEN YOU HEAR
THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
STATES WHILE BUILDING -- GOING
AHEAD WITH PLANS TO BUILD
KOOMPBS MILITARY BASES, KEEPING
THEIR CHILDREN AWAY FROM THEIR
PARENTS SAYING IT’S RIDICULOUS,
WE NEED TO GRAB PEOPLE AND
DEPORT THEM.
DEPORT THEM. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT?
>> I THINK THAT THIS PROBLEM OF
PARENTS BEING SEPARATED FROM
CHILDREN, THIS HUMANITARIAN
HUMAN RIGHTS CRISIS, IF THERE
WERE DUE PROCESS, IF PEOPLE WERE
ENTITLED TO ATTORNEYS AND WERE
ABLE TO SEE JUDGES, THIS WOULD
HAVE NEVER HAPPENED.
SO I ACTUALLY THINK THIS
TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE THAT
AMERICA JUST WENT THROUGH COULD
HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE
OPPOSITE OF WHAT THE PRESIDENT
IS SAYING HAD HAPPENED.
SO IT’S NOT ONLY A VIOLATION OF
INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW
AND OUR LAWS, BUT WHAT JUST
HAPPENED IS PROOF OF WHAT COULD
CONTINUE TO HAPPEN IF NO DUE
PROCESS IS PROVIDED.
>> EXPLAIN THAT.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
>> THE LACK OF DUE PROCESS, THE
LACK OF ACCESS TO COURTS OR
HEARING OFFICERS, THE LACK OF
ACCESS TO ATTORNEYS IS WHAT
ALLOWS THE GOVERNMENT TO HAVE A
NONTRANSPARNLT SYSTEM.
NONTRANSPARNLT SYSTEM. >> RIGHT.
>> RIGHT. >> MAKING A SWEEPING
ADMINISTRATIVE DECISION TO
SEPARATE PARENTS FROM THEIR
CHILDREN.
CHILDREN. AND IT’S ONLY UNTIL CIVIL RIGHTS
LAWYERS FIND OUT ABOUT IT AND
SCRAMBLE TO TALK TO THE PARENTS
THAT THE INFORMATION STARTS
BEING TRACKED BY ANYBODY BUT THE
GOVERNMENT.
GOVERNMENT. AND SO THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR OF
A SWEEPING POLICY THAT’S REALLY
CONCERNING ON A HUMAN RIGHTS
LEVEL COULD HAPPEN IF THERE IS
NO DUE PROCESS, IF THERE NO
ACCESS TO COURTS OR HEARING OR
ATTORNEYS.
ATTORNEYS. THOSE THINGS PROTECT HUMAN
RIGHTS VIOLATIONS, CIVIL RIGHTS
VIOLATIONS, LAW VIOLATIONS FROM
HAPPENING.
HAPPENING. SO THOSE ARE AN IMPORTANT CHECK
ON THAT.
ON THAT. AND I THINK THAT EVERYONE SHOULD
AGREE THAT THERE’S GOT TO BE
SPACE TO AGREE THAT CIVIL RIGHTS
AND HUMAN RIGHTS HAVE TO BE
INCLUDED IN ANY DIALOGUE ABOUT
POLICY.
POLICY. >> WE SHOULD NOTE THE ONLY
REASON WE KNOW ABOUT THIS ISN’T
BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT.
IT’S BECAUSE OF LAWYERS WHO ARE
IN COURTROOMS.
IN COURTROOMS. SUING OVER IT AND TELLING AND
TALKING TO REPORTERS ABOUT IT.
THEY WERE THE POINT OF CONTACT
WHILE THIS POLICY WAS HAPPENING
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN A BLACK