LIFE. NOT THAT THE DOOR TO AMERICA SK
COMPLETELY SHUT UNLESS YOU
ALREADY HAVE ONE.
WITH THAT WE TURN TO OUR EXPERT
PANEL IT, LEAH RIGORE, MARY
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE
NATIONAL IMMIGRATION LAW CENTER
AND WASHINGTON ANCHOR CATTY KAY.
MARIEL ELAINA, YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> THANK YOU, ARI.
AS AN IMMIGRANT FROM COLOMBIA
AND A LAWYER, IT IS DEEPLY
OFFENSIVE TO SEAR ACTING
DIRECTOR CUCCINELLI TALK ABOUT
THIS AS SELF-SUFFICIENCY.
THE FACT IS THAT THIS IS THE
COUNTRY, THE LAND OF
OPPORTUNITY.
OPPORTUNITY. THAT IS THE STORY WE HAVE TOLD
OURSELVES FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES
NOW.
NOW. AND WE KNOW THAT IN FACT, THE
MAJORITY OF AMERICANS AT SOME
POINT IN THEIR LIFETIME ARE
GOING TO NEED TO RELY ON CERTAIN
TYPES OF SAFETY NET PROGRAMS
WHETHER IT’S UNEMPLOYMENT,
WHETHER IT’S NUTRITION
ASSISTANCE, HEALTH CARE,
WHATEVER IT IS.
THESE ARE ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS
FOR THAT VERY REASON.
THEY’RE ANTI-POVERTY.
THEY’RE ANTI-POVERTY. THEY’RE MEANT TO HELP PEOPLE
MAKE ENDS MEET WHEN THEY’RE
FACING A HARD TIME WHICH WAS MY
OWN FAMILY’S EXPERIENCE WHEN WE
FIRST ARRIVED IN THIS COUNTRY IN
THE 1970s FROM COLOMBIA.
>> LEAH, LISTEN TO THE PRESIDENT
ON ALL THIS TODAY.
>> MAYBE THERE OUGHT TO BE A
DIFFERENT POEM ON THE STATUTE OF
LIBERTY.
LIBERTY. DO YOU THINK THAT SHOULD BE
SAVED?
SAVED? >> I DON’T THINK IT’S FAIR TO
HAVE THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER, YOU
KNOW, IT’S ABOUT AMERICA FIRST.
I DON’T THINK IT’S FAIR TO HAVE
THE AMERICAN TAXPAYER PAY FOR
PEOPLE TO COME INTO THE UNITED
STATES.
STATES. >> LEAH?
>> LEAH? >> WELL, YOU KNOW, ARI, I THINK
CRUELTY IS THE POINT.
THAT MUCH IS AN APPARENT.
THE PRESIDENT IS BEING EXPLICIT
ABOUT IT NOW.
THIS ISN’T ABOUT THE LAW.
IF IT WAS ABOUT THE LAW AND IF
IT WAS ABOUT TAXPAYERS AND
THIN THAT, WE’D ACTUALLY
SEE THAT THE CORPORATIONS
INVOLVED IN BRINGING PEOPLE OVER
OR WHO BREAK THESE RULES AND
PROFIT FROM THESE RULES THAT THE
GOVERNMENT WOULD BE PAYING
ATTENTION TO THEM.
THEY’RE NOT.
THEY’RE NOT. WE SEE THAT ALL THE TIME.
INSTEAD, WHAT WE SEE IS THAT
THIS IS ABOUT DONALD TRUMP’S YOU
KNOW QUEST TO MAKE AMERICA LOOK
A VERY PARTICULAR WAY.
HE WAS VERY HONEST ABOUT THAT IN
THAT STATEMENT HE JUST GAVE TO
THE PRESS.
THE PRESS. THIS ISN’T ABOUT BRINGING
AMERICA BACK TO SAY THE 1960s OR
1970s.
1970s. THIS IS LOOKING MORE AND MORE
LIKE BRINGING ARE AMERICA BACK
TO THE 1924 AND JAUND REED ACT,
ABOUT MAKING A CERTAIN KIND OF
AMERICA, ONE IN WHICH IT’S NOT
JUST UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS
TARGETED BUT ALSO LEGAL
IMMIGRANTS WHO ARE FROM
PARTICULAR BACKGROUNDS WHO ARE
OF CERTAIN AGES FROM CERTAIN
COUNTRIES.
COUNTRIES. THAT MUCH IS CLEAR.
>> I DIDN’T KNOW YOU WANTED TO
GO THERE, GET INTO THE JOHNSON
REED ACT.
REED ACT. WE CAN DO THAT, PROFESSOR.
YOU’RE REFERRING TO THE LAST
TIME THAT THE FEDERAL LAW
EXPLICITLIAGE KNOCKED THAT WILL
KIND OF DISCRIMINATION, WHICH
WAS LATER REVISED IN ’65, NOT
PERFECTED BY ANY MEANS BUT AT
LEAST THE GOVERNMENT WAS NO
LONGER ON RECORD ADMITTING THAT
IT WAS GOING TO BAN PEOPLE BASED
ON FOR EXAMPLE, NATIONAL ORIGIN
FROM ASIA OR IN RELIGION WITH
QUOTAS AGAINST JEWS.
WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE WAY
THEY’RE KIND OF GIVING THE GAME
AWAY AND HOW FAR BACK THEY WANT
TO GO IN THESE POLICIES?
>> IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THIS
COUNTRY HAS BEEN FAR FROM
PERFECT PARTICULARLY IN THE LAST
20 YEARS.
20 YEARS. BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS
STRIKING, REALLY STRIKING ABOUT
THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION IS THE
RHETORIC AND THE LANGUAGE THAT
AROUND IMMIGRATION AND HOW THAT
IS TIED EXPLICITLY TO POLICY.
SO DONALD TRUMP SAYING THAT
MEXICO IS SENDING ITS WORST,
SENDING RAPISTS AND DRUG DEGREE
DEALERS, SAYING THAT MEXICAN
DRUGS ARE DISCRIMINATORY, MAKING
RACIST STATEMENTS AROUND THAT
USING LANGUAGE ABOUT INVASION
ABOUT A COMING HOARD, ABOUT THE
DANGERS OF MIGRANTS, THAT AND
EXPLICITLY TIEING IT TO POLICY
THAT FOR ALL PURPOSES REALLY IS
ABOUT EXCLUDING PEOPLE FROM THIS
COUNTRY AND ABOUT CREATING A
SYSTEM THAT SINCE IT CAN’T BE
DONE THROUGH CONGRESS AND HASN’T
BEEN DONE THROUGH CONGRESS,
REALLY KILLS LEGAL AND UN
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRATION.
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRATION. LEGAL IMMIGRATION THROUGH A
THOUSAND BACKDOOR CUTS.
THAT PART IS IMPORTANT AND THAT
PART IS DIFFERENT.
>> APPRECIATE BOTH YOUR ERUD
IT/IO N.
IT/IO N. I’M TURNING TO KATTY KAY.
I DON’T THINK IT’S A SECRET TO
THE REGULAR VIEWERS THAT YOU
HAPPEN TO BE EVERYBODY SOMEWHERE
ELSE.
ELSE. >> I’M AN IMMIGRANT IN THIS
COUNTRY, FIRST GENERATION
IMMIGRANT.
IMMIGRANT. I PAY TAXES AND AM EFFECTIVELY A
TAXPAYER IN THIS COUNTRY.
A LOT OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS ALSO
PAY TAXES IN THIS COUNTRY.
I THINK THE IDEA THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING TO DO WITH TAXES OR
WELFARE IS A TOTAL RED HERRING.
>> THAT’S WHAT I WANT TO DRILL
DOWN WITH YOU ON.
WHICH IS WHO IS BEING TARGETED.
AND LET ME HAVE FOR YOUR
ANALYSIS KEN CUCCINELLI PRESSED
WITH THAT QUESTION, WAIT A
MINUTE, IT IS NOW BECOME
DIAGNOSE QUITE CLEAR THAT
CERTAIN GROUPS ARE BEING
TARGETED, TARGETING THE POOR HAS
LEAST SINCE ’65 IF NOT BEFORE
BEEN DISFAVORED AND WHAT WHERE
THEY ARE FROM AND WHAT THEY LOOK
LIKE IS SUPPOSED TO BE
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL. TAKE A LISTEN.
>> WHY SHOULDN’T THE LATINO
COMMUNITY FEEL TARGETED?
>> THIS IS NOT NEW.
THIS SAME QUESTION MIGHT HAVE
BEEN ASKED WHEN IMMIGRANT
ANCESTORS WERE COMING ALL
THROUGH THE 140 YEARS.
THIS APPLY ACROSS THE WORLD.
>> THIS APPLY TO MORE LATINOS?
>> IF WE HAD BEEN HAVING THIS
CONVERSATION A COUPLE HUNDRED
YEARS AGO, IT WOULD HAVE APPLIED
TO MORE ITALIANS.
>> I’M NOT SURE HE IS THE BEST
ADVOCATE AND MOST CONVINCING
PRESENTER OF THESE IDEAS.
IT SEEMS THAT IS EVERY TIME
WE’VE THROWN TO A CLIP, HE’S
PUTTING HIS FOOT IN HIS MOUTH
CLAIMING HE, NOT SENATE
CONFIRMED, HE SHOULD BE
RE-WRIGHT THE STATUTE OF LIBERTY
POEM AND MAKING THE LATINO,
ITALIAN COMPARE RESPONDS I LEAVE
THAT TO HIM.
I ASK YOU IS THIS ACCURATE AND
WHAT IS HE MISSING?
>> SO THE IDEA THAT SOMEHOW
IMMIGRANTS ARE GOING TO TAKE
WELFARE BASED ON THE COLOR OF
THEIR SKIN IS A COMPLETE
MISNOMER.
MISNOMER. AS WE KNOW, THE VAST MAJORITY OF
RECIPIENTS OF FOOD STAMPS IN
THIS COUNTRY ARE LIGHTWEIGHT,
NOT AFRICAN-AMERICAN, NOT
HISPANIC.
HISPANIC. I THINK THERE’S ONLY ABOUT 10%
OF RECIPIENTS WHO ARE HISPANIC.
LET’S PUT THAT TO ONE SIDE.
THE PROFESSOR TOOK US BACK IN
SIDE.
SIDE. LET’S JUMP TOWARD.
THIS IS ALL ABOUT 2044 WHEN
AMERICA BECOMES A MINORITY WHITE
COUNTRY.
COUNTRY. A BIT LIKE KING KNUTE, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION IS DESPERATELY
TRYING TO STOP THE TIDE OF THAT.
STEVEN MILLER CAME INTO THE
WHITE HOUSE WANTING TO TARGET
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION YES, BUT
WANTING ALSO RIGHT FROM THE
BEGINNING OF THIS ADMINISTRATION
TO TARGET LEGAL IMMIGRATION TO
TRY TO MAKE AMERICA IN THE IMAGE
THAT THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
WOULD LIKE TO HAVE IT WHICH IS
MAJORITY WHITE.
MAJORITY WHITE. WE KNOW THEY HAVE SPOKEN ABOUT
TAKING NORWEGIANS AND SMOT
PEOPLE FROM AFRICAN OR HISPANIC
COUNTRIES.
COUNTRIES. THIS IS ABOUT RACE AND KEEPING
WHERK WHITE.
WHERK WHITE. IT’S NOT ABOUT THE WELFARE,
TAXES OR ECONOMICS.
>> MARIE ELENA.
>> COMPLETELY GO AGREE.
WHAT THIS RACIALLY MOTIVATED
RULE DOES NOT DO IS CHANGE THE
ELIGIBILITY RULES ABOUT
IMMIGRANT ACCESS TO NUTRITION OR
HEALTH CARE BUT WHAT IT DOES DO
IS ACTUALLY CHANGE THE POLITICAL
POWER DYNAMICS.
POWER DYNAMICS. WHAT THEY’RE TRYING TO DO IS
HAVE MILLIONS OF IMMIGRANTS NOT
BE ABLE TO BECOME PERMANENT
RESIDENTS AND EVENTUAL VOTERS.
THERE IS THEIR WAY TO EVENTUALLY
HAVE MINORITY RULE, A COUNTRY A
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE OF COLOR IN
THE FUTURE.
THE FUTURE. >> THIS TRACTION PERFECTLY WITH
THE NEXT QUESTION I WANTED TO
ASK THE PROFESSOR WHICH IS
YOU’VE ALSO DONE A LOT OF THE
POLITICS ON THIS.
I WONDER WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT
THE POLITICS HERE AFTER THE
PRESIDENT HAS HAD LET’S BE
CLEAR, ROUGH TIMES EVEN BY HIS
STANDARDS YOU KNOW, THIS
CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER THAT THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION WAS AN US
COULD OF HAVING STAFF TOO LOOENT
LENIENT ON, THEN MYSTERIOUSLY
DIES IN JAIL, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION OVERSEEING THAT,
A SERIES OF REPORTS ABOUT HIS
HANDLING OF THESE MASSACHUSETTS
SHOOTINGS WHILE NOT CAUSAL
CERTAINLY HAD THE SHOOTER
ECHOING LANGUAGE OF THE
PRESIDENT AND ALL THE OTHER
PROBLEMS.
PROBLEMS. HERE ARE THE POLITICS, LEAH,
HERE WE GO AGAIN.
WHAT I MENTIONED AT THE TOP
WHICH IS THE INSINUATION THAT
PARTICIPATING IN ANY PUBLIC
PROGRAM MAKES YOU SOMEHOW
SUSPECT AND REAGAN QUO DO THAT
IN A DOMESTIC CONTEXT WITH
AFRICAN-AMERICANS.
AFRICAN-AMERICANS. WE’RE SEEING IT IN THE
IMMIGRATION CONTEXT.
IMMIGRATION CONTEXT. WALK US THROUGH YOUR VIEW OF THE
POLITICAL PLAYBOOK HERE.
>> YOU KNOW IN, TIMES OF CRISIS
FOR DONALD TRUMP, HE VERY
QUICKLY FALLS BACK ON THE -- ON
YOU KNOW, THE CULTURE WARS AND
WHAT IT AMOUNTS TO THE RACE WARS
AND IMMIGRATION WARS.
SO THIS IS HIS FAVORITE AND
PERHAPS THE EASIEST PUNCHING BAG
FOR HIM.
FOR HIM. THIS IS HOW HE STARTED HIS
CAMPAIGN.
CAMPAIGN. THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW, THIS IS
HOW HE RAN HIS CAMPAIGN.
THIS IS WHAT HE DID, WHAT HE
FOCUSED ON IN THE 2016 SPECIAL
ELECTIONS AND ESPECIALLY THE 201
ELECTIONS AND PULLING IT OUT
AGAIN TO APPEAL TO HIS BASE.
THIS IS NOT ABOUT GROWING HIS
BASE.
BASE. THIS IS NOT ABOUT THAT.
ONE THING I WOULD PUSH BACK ON
AND REALLY THINK ABOUT IS, HOW
OFTEN HAS THIS BEEN SUCCESSFUL
FOR DONALD TRUMP?
WE MAY POINT TO 2016 BUT WE CAN
LOOK AT 2018 AND SEE THAT THIS
IDEA OF THE SO-CALLED HOARD,
THIS MYTH OF THE HOARD, THE FEAR
OF THE HOARD DIDN’T PAN OUT.
THE CARAVAN DIDN’T PLAY OUT IN
HIS FAVOR AT THE BALLOT BOX.
WHAT IT ENDED UP DOING IS
CREATING, YOU KNOW, PLAYING A
ROLE IN THE INCREASED FRENZY AND
RHETORIC AROUND RACE THAT HAD
DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES BUT
POLITICALLY, DIDN’T SEEM TO --
DIDN’T PAYOFF FOR HIM.
>> LEAH AND MARIE ELAINA, THANK
YOU BOTH.
YOU BOTH. HAVE I ONE MORE THING IN NEW
YORK FOR KATTY KAY.
THAT IS STEVEN MILLER.
STEVEN MILLER HAS MAINTAINED A
TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF INFLUENCE
OVER IMMIGRATION POLICY.
HE WORKED FOR JEFF SESSIONS.
HE’S NOW JOUST LASTED JEFF
SESSIONS AND VIEWERS MAY KNOW
HIM AS SOMEONE HOB ISN’T ON
CAMERA ALL THAT MUCH AND YET
SOMETIMES SEEMS TO AS I
MENTIONED OUTLAST AND OUT RANK
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE BORDER
CZARS, DHS.
CZARS, DHS. IT IS REMARKABLE.
SOME PEOPLE SAY I WISH WE DIDN’T
HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS OR THAT
PERSON.
PERSON. WE HAVE TO DEAL WITH WHAT’S OUT
THERE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO
LISTEN TO MR. MILLER OR NOT.
I SAY THAT AS A KIND OF
DISCLAIMER FOR SPRURPZ HERE HE
IS ON THE VERY ISSUE THAT HAS
BECOME FRONT AND CENTER ABOUT
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> THE STATUE OF LIBERTY SAYS
GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR,
YOUR HUDDLED MASSES YEARNING TO
BE FREE.
BE FREE. IT DOESN’T SAY ANYTHING ABOUT
SPEAKING ENGLISH OR BEING ABLE
TO BE A COMPUTER PROGRAM SNIR
THE POEM THAT YOU’RE REFERRING
TO WAS ADDED LATE SER NOT PART
OF THE ORIGINAL STATUE OF
LIBERTY.
LIBERTY. MORE FUNDAMENTALLY, MORE
FUNDAMENTALLY.
FUNDAMENTALLY. >> YOU’RE SAYING THAT DOES NOT
REPRESENT WHAT THE COUNTRY HAS
ALWAYS THOUGHT OF.
>> I’M SAYING THE NOTION.
>> STEVEN, I’M SORRY.
THAT SOUNDS LIKE SOME NATIONAL
PARK REVISIONISM.
PARK REVISIONISM. >> 2017 AND THAT WAS SOMETHING
THEY BACKED OFF OF BECAUSE THEY
DIDN’T WANT TO GO TO WAR WITH
THE STATUE OF LIBERTY.
IS THIS NOW THE IN THE PLAYBOOK?
IS THIS NOT SOMETHING THEY’RE
BACKING OFF?
BACKING OFF? THIS IS FROM WHAT 2017 IS NOW
TOO EXTREME IS BEING NORMALIZED
IN 2019.
IN 2019. >> IS HE GOES ON TO SAY GIVE US
YOUR WRETCHED AND HOMELESS.
IT’S VERY HARD IN STEVEN MILL
AREA’S IDEAL AMERICA TO IMAGINE
THIS WHITE HOUSE EMBRACING THE
WRETCHED REFUSE AND THE HOMELESS
OF THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE NORMALIZED A LOT.
THIS IS THIS BATTLE GOING ON
CONTINUALLY OVER THE WALL.
THEY HAVEN’T MANAGED TO BUILD
THE WALL.
THE WALL. THEY ARE TRYING THROUGH OTHER
MEANS TO SATISFY THE BASE ON
IMMIGRATION POLICY.
IMMIGRATION POLICY. BUT SPECIFICALLY WHAT’S NEW HERE
IS THIS IDEA OF TARGETING LEGAL
IMMIGRANTS.
IMMIGRANTS. THAT IS STEVEN MILLER.
THAT’S SOMETHING HE HAS WANTED
TO DO.
TO DO. I’VE HEARD HIM SAY IT FROM THE
BEGINNING OF THIS ADMINISTRATION
AND NOW HE FEELS WITH THIS ORDER
HE CAN DO IT.
IT WILLING BE CHALLENGED IN THE
COURTS.
COURTS. >> YOU JUST PUT YOUR FINGER ON
IT, THEY HAVE SLOWLY BUT FINALLY
MOVED FROM TALKING ABOUT THE
UNDOCUMENTED WHERE THERE’S A
LEGAL LINE TO ADMIT NO, THEY
DON’T LIKE, AND I SAY THIS IF
YOU DON’T MIND, THEY DON’T WANT
CERTAIN PEOPLE HAVE YOUR STATUS,
WHO ARE JUST LEGALLY HERE
PARTICIPATING IN OUR ECONOMY.
WE LEARN FROM, WE LISTEN TO,
PAYING TAXES.
PAYING TAXES. NOW THEY’RE SAYING THE FACT THAT
YOU CAME HERE ITSELF SHOULD BE
TARGETED.
TARGETED. >> YEAH, I HAVE FOUR AMERICAN
KIDS, I HAVE AN AMERICAN BRITISH
HUSBAND.
HUSBAND. I FIND IT HARD TO BELIEVE THAT I
WILL BE CHUCKED OUT BUT I’M VERY
CONSCIOUS OF THE FACT THAT
PEOPLE WHO DON’T LOOK LIKE ME
WHO COME WITH MORE DIFFICULT
CIRCUMSTANCES THAN ME TO THIS
COUNTRY WHERE YOU HAVE ALWAYS
WELCOMED MIGRANTS IT HAS BEEN
THE VALUE OF AMERICA, IT IS THE
THING THAT DISTINGUISHES THIS
COUNTRY FROM OTHER COUNTRIES AND
I FEAR THAT’S GOING.
>> WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR