UNION LEADER.
OUR FIRST QUESTION TONIGHT IS FROM WMUR’S JEAN MACKIN.
>> WE WILL BEGIN WITH REPRESENTATIVE KUSTER.
FOUNDS THE MIGRANTS MAKE THEIR WAY ACROSS MEXICO AND MANY HAVE STARTED THEIR JOURNEY IN HONDURAS SEEKING A BETTER LIFE IN THE UNITED STATES, HOPING TO ESCAPE POVERTY AND VIOLENCE.
YOU THINK THE U.S. SHOULD ALLOW ANY OF THESE PEOPLE TO ENTER, SEEK ASYLUM, OR BE IN THE U.S.
LEGALLY FOR ANY.
OF -- ANY PERIOD OF TIME.
REP. KUSTE FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING US AND FOR THIS DEBATE.
I WANT TO THANK MY OPPONENT FOR THE STABILITY COMMITMENT.
LET’S TAKE YOU BACK A FEW YEARS TO COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM PAST FIVE AND HAVE YEARS AGO.
TWO THIRDS OF THE SENATE VOTED FOR IT.
VERY BIPARTISAN.
I WOULD’VE VOTED FOR THE VERY NEXT DAY AND IT WOULD HAVE STRENGTHENED OUR BORDERS AND PROVIDED LAWFUL IMMIGRATION.
IT WOULD HAVE MADE FOR RULE OF LAW THAT WE SHOULD HAVE IN OUR COUNTRY.
WHAT I WOULD SUGGEST IS WE SHOULD HAVE DONE THAT AND WE SHOULD GO FURTHER.
WE SHOULD ALLOW PEOPLE TO APPLY FOR ASYLUM IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.
THESE ARE ASYLUM-SEEKERS.
THEY ARE FLEEING FROM PERSECUTION, VIOLENCE IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY, SO WE NEED A LAWFUL PROCESS FOR THEM TO SEEK ASYLUM.
IF THEY FULFILL THOSE PROTOCOLS, THEN YES, THEY WOULD BE ALLOWED IN.
IF NOT, THEY WOULD BE SENT BACK.
>> DOES THE U.S. HAVE A MORAL OBLIGATION TO ASSIST PEOPLE IN NEED OF COMING TO OUR BORDER?
SHOULD THIS CARAVAN GET ANY HELP?
MR. NEGRON: I THINK THE UNITED STATES HAS A MORAL OBLIGATION TO ITS U.S. CITIZENS.
IT’S FUNNY WE TALK APPEAR THAT WE TRY TO DO THINGS FIVE YEARS AGO.
THAT TELLS ME WE WERE INEFFECTIVE FIVE YEARS AGO.
MY GRANDFATHER CAME HERE FROM MEXICO IN 1921.
I WAS TALKING TO SOMEONE AND WHAT IS FUNNY TO ME IS THAT THIS CARAVAN OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COME TO OUR COUNTRY, WOULD’VE EXPECTED AN AMERICAN FLAG IN FRONT OF THE CARAVAN.
I STILL SEE THE FOG OF THE COUNTRY THEY ARE FLEEING LET’S NOT ALL THROW EVERYBODY INTO ASYLUM.
WE DON’T KNOW THAT YET, BUT WE KNOW THAT WE ARE A LAND OF LOSS.
LET’S PROCESS THOSE PEOPLE THROUGH AND IF THEY MEET THE CRITERIA TO COME INTO THIS COUNTRY, WE WILL ALLOW THEM IN, BUT THE PRESIDENT HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT
THE CITIZENS OF THE U.S.
>> YOU THINK THE U.S. SHOULD SPEND MONEY TO SUPPORT THE GOVERNMENT’S OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES SO THE CRIME OR POVERTY DOES NOT TRANSLATE INTO MORE PEOPLE ENTERING THE U.S.?
MR. NEGRON: I DO NOT THINK THERE IS A DIRECT CORRELATION OF MONEY AND STOPPING CRIME AND PEOPLE COMING IN.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT DOES A LOT OF WORK OF COUNTRIES ALL THE WAY AROUND THE WORLD.
IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE MONEY IS BEING USED FOR.
IT COULD BE FOR EDUCATION, INFRASTRUCTURE, BUT IT IS NOT TO BRIBE PEOPLE TO COME IN OR STAY.
IT’S ABOUT HAVING AN OPPORTUNITY TO HELP SOME OF THE OTHER COUNTRIES.
WE HAVE DONE THAT OUR ENTIRE LIFE.
I THINK WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT.
IT WOULD BE A FUNCTION OF WHAT IT IS THAT THE MONEY IS BEING USED FOR.
THE PRESIDENT SAID IF WE CONTINUE THIS CARAVAN, WE HAVE GIVEN YOU MONEY SO PLEASE DO NOT SEND US THESE PEOPLE ON PROPERLY VETTED.
REPRESENTATIVE KUSTER, WOULD YOU SUPPORT AID OF ANY KIND TO ANY COUNTRIES TO SUPPORT PEOPLE FLEEING TO THE U.S.?
REP. KUSTER: I WAS SHOCKED WHEN THE PRESIDENT SAID HE WOULD WITHDRAW THE AID FROM ONE DOOR, GUATEMALA, EL SALVADOR, THE COUNTRIES THESE PEOPLE ARE FLEEING FROM THE VIOLENCE.
WE SHOULD BE HELPING WITH THEIR SECURITY, THEIR CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE ARE SAFE.
I WENT TO THE BORDER BECAUSE I WAS SHOCKED I OUR POLICY, THIS PRESIDENT’S POLICY OF SEPARATING CHILDREN AND FAMILIES.
WHAT I LEARNED WHEN I MET THESE PEOPLE WERE THAT THEY WERE FLEEING, THEIR FAMILIES HAD BEEN KILLED, THEIR BUSINESSES HAVE BEEN BLOWN UP AND THEY WERE LITERALLY GRABBING THEIR
CHILDREN AND RUNNING.
IT IS OVER 1000 MILES.
WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO HELP THEM AT HOME AND GIVE THEM THE OPPORTUNITY, IF THEY WANT TO SEEK ASYLUM, TO DO IT IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY SO THEY WOULD AVOID THIS PERILOUS JOURNEY.
>> IN PART OF AN INTERVIEW JUST RELEASED TODAY, TRUMP SAID HE WOULD SIGN AN EXECUTIVE ORDER THAT ENDS BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP MEANING BABIES BORN IN THE U.S.
TO A MOTHER WHO IS NOT A U.S.
CITIZEN WOULD NOT BE GRANTED AUTOMATIC CITIZENSHIP.
WHAT YOU THINK OF THIS?
REP. KUSTER: I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS GOTTEN CARRIED AWAY WITH HIS EXECUTIVE POWERS, AND I WOULD AGREE WITH PAUL RYAN WHO SAID HE DOES NOT HAVE THE AUTHORITY.
THIS IS THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
WHAT IT SAYS IS IF YOU ARE BORN IN OUR COUNTRY, YOU ARE A CITIZEN OF OUR COUNTRY.
HE CANNOT DO THIS BY EXECUTIVE ORDER.
THERE IS YET TO BE ANYONE WHO AGREES WITH HIM ON THIS.
I THINK IT WOULD BE A SUBSTANTIAL PROCESS TO TRY TO GET AN AMENDMENT TO CHANGE THE 14TH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION.
IT IS THE WRONG DIRECTION AND MR.NEGRON’S FAMILY HAS A PASSIONATE STORY ABOUT IMMIGRATION.
IMMIGRATION STRENGTH THERE’S THE COMMUNITY.
MY OWN FAMILY DID NOT COME BY CARAVAN, THEY CAME IN A CROWDED SHIP.
TWO OF MY FAMILY ON BOTH SIDES, GRANDPARENTS, DIED EN ROUTE.
I THINK WE NEED TO LOOK AT WHAT IMMIGRATION DOES FOR BUSINESSES IN THE STATE.
PEOPLE NEED THE LABOR AND THESE PEOPLE WILL CREATE NEW JOBS, NEW BUSINESSES, AND WE WILL ALL BENEFIT.
>> MR. NEGRON, WOULD YOU SUPPORT THE PRESIDENT’S EFFORT TO SUPPORT THIS?
MR. NEGRON THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF RESISTING -- MR. NEGRON: THIS IS JUST ANOTHER EXAMPLE ABOUT RESISTING ANYTHING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE.
IF THERE IS AN IDEA COMING OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE, WE HAVE TO SIT DOWN AT THE TABLE AND FIGURE OUT WHAT THE INTENT AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO DO.
HE KNOWS HE CANNOT CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION ON HIS OWN.
TO INFER WITH AN ORDER THAT IS WHAT HE IS TRYIN