MARIA: WELCOME BACK.
WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS THIS
MORNING, MORE BUSSES FILLED WITH
ILLEGAL MIGRANTS ARRIVED IN NEW
YORK CITY THIS MORNING.
THIS AFTER FIVE BUSSES CAME IN
YESTERDAY, THE MOST REACHING
PORT AUTHORITY SINCE TEXAS
GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT BEGAN
BUSSING THESE MIGRANTS TO NEW
YORK BACK IN AUGUST,
AUGUST 4th.
HES HAS SENT MORE THAN 1500
MIGRANTS TO NEW YORK AND 7200 TO
WASHINGTON, D.C.
JOINING ME RIGHT NOW IS MICHIGAN
DEMOCRAT CONGRESSWOMAN, DEBBIE
DINGELL, SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE
HOUSE, ENERGY AND COMMERCE
COMMITTEES AND NATIONAL REA
SOURCE COMMITTEE AS WELL.
CONGRESSWOMAN, IT IS ALWAYS A
PLEASURE TO SEE YOU.
THANKS SO MUCH FOR JOINING ME.
>> IT’S GREAT TO SEE YOU.
I HOPE YOU’VE BEEN HAVING A GOOD
SUMMER.
MARIA: YES.
YOU TOO.
SO MUCH.
LOOK, WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT
SO MUCH THIS MORNING.
THERE’S SO MUCH BREAKING NEWS, I
WANT TO GET YOUR TAKE ON THIS
STUDENT LOAN FOREOF FORGIVENESS
MOMENT.
LET ME START AT THE BORDER.
WE’VE GOT THESE BUSSES COMING IN
EVERY DAY NOW, NEW YORK,
WASHINGTON.
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I
CERTAINLY KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE
DIED OF OVERDOSE BECAUSE OF THE
FENTANYL, THE ILLICIT GNAT NARCO
COMING INTO THIS COUNTRY.
DO YOU KNOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED
OF FENTANYL.
>> I HAVE MORE PEOPLE THAN I
WISH I KNEW, INCLUDING A FAMILY
MEMBER SO, YES, IT’S HAVING A
DEVASTATING IMPACT ON PEOPLE IN
THE COUNTRY AND THEY DO NOT KNOW
HOW DANGEROUS IT IS.
MARIA: I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR
THAT.
IT’S EVEN HITTING A FAMILY
MEMBER OF YOURS, CONDOLENCES
FROM ME.
GOOD FRIEND OF MINE LOST HIS SON
TO THIS AND I’M HORRIFIED BY IT.
CONGRESSWOMAN, HOW ARE WE GOING
TO GET THE ADMINISTRATION TO
REACT TO THIS?
WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THE
UNDERLYING CHEMICALS OF FENTANYL
ARE MADE IN CHINA, THEY’RE
TRAFFICKED THROUGH MEXICO AND
INTO THE UNITED STATES.
WE KNOW FOR A FACT THAT THE DRUG
CARTELS, THESE CRIMINAL CARTELS
ARE TAKING HOME $200 MILLION A
WEEK BY THE SMUGGLING OF HUMAN
BEINGS AND THIS TREK TO AMERICA
IS INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS.
WOMEN ARE GETTING RAPED.
THEY’RE DYING IN THE BRUSH IN
TEXAS, YET WE NEVER HEAR A WORD
ABOUT THIS FROM JOE BIDEN.
HOW ARE WE GOING TO GET THIS
ADMINISTRATION TO FOCUS ON THIS
WIDE OPEN BORDER?
>> SO I DIVIDE THIS INTO TWO
CATEGORIES, MARIA.
I AGREE WITH YOU ON BOTH OF
THEM.
I THINK THE FENTANYL DRUG ISSUE
THAT WE HAVE IN THIS COUNTRY HAS
BEEN A PROBLEM FOR TOO LONG.
I’VE HAD MORE THAN ONE MEMBER,
MY SISTER DIED OF A DRUG
OVERDOSE, MY FATHER WAS A DRUG
ADDICT.
I TALK ABOUT THAT OPENLY.
AND RECENTLY HAVE HAD COUSINS,
ET CETERA, THAT HAVE BEEN
IMPACTED BY IT.
WE NEED A WAR ON DRUGS AND WE’RE
NOT WINNING IT RIGHT NOW AND
WE’VE GOT TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
WE’RE GOING TO DO AT THE BORDER
AND YOU FOCUS ON THE MENTION HAD
CAN BORDER.
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW EASY IT IS
WHERE I LIVE WHERE THE DETROIT
RIVER IS ALSO A SOURCE OF JUST
BRINGING IT IN BY BOAT
OVERNIGHT, IT’S SO CLOSE.
IT’S TERRIFYING.
WE REALLY NEED TO BE ADDRESSING
THIS DRUG PROBLEM.
I MEET WITH ALL OF THE DIFFERENT
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AND
THEY NEED DIFFERENT TOOLS, WHAT
KIND OF LAWS DO WE NEED TO DO.
WE’VE GOT A LOT OF LAWS ON THE
BOOKS.
THEY’RE NOT WORKING.
WE’VE GOT TO FIGURE THAT OUT.
I THINK THE IMMIGRATION PROBLEM
IS A VERY DIFFERENT -- I MEAN,
I’M VERY WORRIED ABOUT IT.
BUT WE NEED COMPREHENSIVE
IMMIGRATION REFORM IN THIS
COUNTRY, PERIOD.
WE HAVE NEEDED IT FOR 50S YEARS.
AND -- 50 YEARS.
WHAT YOU SEE HAPPENING IN NEW
YORK OR I SAW MANY OF THEM LAST
WEEK WHEN I WAS IN WASHINGTON,
VOTING, WE’VE GOT MORE HOMELESS
ON THE STREET THAN WE’VE SEEN
AND TO BE PERFECTLY FRANK, I
DON’T THINK THE GOVERNOR OF
TEXAS IS COORDINATING WITH THE
MAYOR OF NEW YORK.
I THINK THERE’S A LOT OF GOTCHA
PLAYING IN HERE AND IT’S HELPING
NOBODY.
IT’S HELPING ABSOLUTELY NOBODY.
BUT HOW THEY’RE BEING SENT
THERE, THEY’RE DROPPED OFF AT
PLACES, THEY’RE NOT PREPARED.
REMEMBER THAT ALL A OF US -- GOD
TAUGHT US TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBOR.
MANY OF THESE ARE WOMEN AND
CHILDREN TAKE ARE LOOKING FOR
SOME KIND OF HOPE.
THEY’RE ESCAPING GANGS IN SOUTH
AMERICA AND WHAT DO WE DO TO
HELP THEM BUT HOW OF DO WE KEEP
THE CRIMINALS, HOW DO WE PROTECT
OUR NATIONAL SECURITY.
THEY’RE VERY SERIOUS ISSUES THERE AND WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TO
THERE AND WE ALL HAVE TO WORK TO
ANSWER AND WE NEED A NATIONAL
IMMIGRATION POLICY AND
REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS HAVE
TO STOP BEING AFRAYED OF DOING
IT AND GET -- AFRAID OF DOING IT
AND GET IT DONE.
MARIA: AND I UNDERSTAND THAT.
THAT RES MATES WITH RESONATES WI
KNOW WHEN I’M TALKING WITH
BUSINESS PEOPLE, THEY SAY WE
NEED MORE PEOPLE TO WORK, WE
NEED MORE WORKERS.
>> DESPERATE, DESPERATE.
MARIA: WE NEED AN IMMIGRATION
POLICY.
I UNDERSTAND THAT HOWEVER, WE
HAVE POLICIES IN PLACE RIGHT
NOW, WE HAVE A STRUCTURE RIGHT
NOW.
WE ISSUE 1 MILLION GREEN CARDS A
YEAR BUT WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE
BORDER IS THESE PEOPLE ARE
JUMPING THE LINE, THEY’RE
GETTING IN FRONT OF THOSE PEOPLE
WHO ARE WAITING FOR A LONG TIME
TO DO IT THE LEGAL WAY, SINCE WE
DO ISSUE 1 MILLION GREEN CARDS A
YEAR.
AND AT THE SAME TIME, THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION IS BLOWING OFF
ALL OF THE TRUMP POLICIES IN
PLACE THAT WAS CONTROLLING THE
BORDER.
SO AT A MOMENT IN TIME WHEN YOU
ARE SEEING THIS NEED FOR REAL
POLICY, IS THE ANSWER TO HAVE A
WIDE OPEN BORDER, TO DO AWAY
WITH REMAIN IN MEXICO, TO
INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF SERVICES
GIVEN TO ILLEGALS LIKE A FREE
PHONE, LIKE A HOTEL ROOM, ET
CETERA?
AND ALSO OF, WHY MISLEAD THE
AMERICAN PEOPLE WITH ALEJANDRO
MAYORKAS TELLING US THE BORDER
IS SECURE.
NO, WE’RE NOT.
WE HAVE EYES.
WE’RE LOOKING AT IT RIGHT NOW.
>> I DON’T BELIEVE ANYBODY’S
POLICY IS A FREE AND OPEN BORDER
BUT PEOPLE ARE WALKING ACROSS
THE BORDER.
LOOK, RIGHT NOW, PARTICULARLY IN
MICHIGAN, PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE
THAT AGRICULTURE IS A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF THIS STATE’S
ECONOMY, AS WELL AS TOURISM, AS
WELL AS A MANUFACTURING.
THEY ARE DESPERATE.
THEY ARE SCREAMING FOR HELP ON
FINDING PEOPLE TO DO MANY OF
THESE JOBS.
OUR VISA PROGRAM ISN’T WORKING.
>>> IT’S NOT CLEAR WHO IS IT’S
GOING TO, WHO WE’RE GIVING THEM
TO.
I’M NOT AFRAID TO SAY SOMETHING
IS BROKEN.
I DON’T CARE WHAT PARTY YOU ARE.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS RIGHT NOW, I
WON’T DO IT, I DON’T PLAY PARTY
LINES.
TALK ABOUT WHAT PEOPLE NEEDS TO
BE DONE -- WHAT NEEDS TO BE
DONE.
SO MANY PEOPLE TAKE THE PARTY
LINE, INSTEAD OF SAYING WE HAVE
A BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM.
PEOPLE NEED PEOPLE TO WORK BUT
CAN’T GET THEM INTO THE COUNTRY.
I WANT TO REMEMBER --
MARIA: A BROKEN IMMIGRATION --
THAT’S A SEPARATE STORY.
A BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM AND
THE POLICY, THAT’S YOU AND YOUR
COLLEAGUES.
YOU NEED TO COME UP WITH A NEW
IMMIGRATION POLICY.
I GET THAT YOU NEED TO WORK
TOGETHER WITH REPUBLICANS TO DO
THAT.
>> WE DO.
MARIA: BUT THE ANSWER I DON’T
THINK IS A WIDE OPEN BORDER.
THE ANSWER IS NOT HEY, COME ON
IN.
>> I DON’T BELIEVE THAT THE
BORDER -- I DON’T BELIEVE THAT
THE BORDER IS WIDE OPEN.
I DON’T KNOW -- I’VE ASKED
QUESTIONS NOW.
MARIA: WELL, 2 MILLION PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN APPREHENDED.
2 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE BEEN
APPREHENDED ON JOE BIDEN’S
WATCH.
ANOTHER 1 MILLION ARE GOT-AWAYS.
THAT’S 3 MILLION PEOPLE HAVING
COME IN, IN THE LAST YEAR
AND-A-HALF.
YOU DON’T THINK THAT INDICATES
AN OPEN BORDER?
>> WELL, I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO CATCH THEM.
THEY’RE TRYING TO RETURN THEM TO
MEXICO.
OR TO OTHER COUNTRIES.
I DON’T KNOW THAT WE’VE GOT
ENOUGH BORDER PATROL.
MARIA: HE DID AWAY WITH THE
REMAIN IN MEXICO.
HE DID AWAY WITH REMAIN IN
MEXICO.
LOOK, I DON’T WANT TO TAKE OUR
WHOLE TIME ON THE BORDER BECAUSE
I KNOW YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN ON
THE STUDENT LOAN, THE BAILOUT
THERE.
THE PRESIDENT YESTERDAY SAID IT
WAS FAIR.
CONGRESSWOMAN, COME ON, WHAT’S
FAIR ABOUT PEOPLE WHO WORKED
MORNING, NOON AND NIGHT TO PAY
OFF THEIR STUDENT LOAN, NOW
GETTING SCREWED AND THE OTHERS
WHO DECIDED TO ACCEPT THIS
BAILOUT AND THEY’RE GETTING THE
MONEY FROM THE GOVERNMENT TO
FORGIVE THIS STUDENT LOAN DEBT
AND ALSO IT’S GOING TO ADD TO
THE DEFICIT, THE COMMITTEE FOR A
RESPONSIBLE BUDGET SAYS IT’S
GOING TO INCREASE TUITION COSTS
AS WELL.
YOUR THOUGHTS?
>> I SINCERELY HOPE IT DOESN’T
INCREASE TUITION COST AND I
THINK WHERE OUR FOCUS NEEDS TO
BE IS HOW DO WE MAKE COLLEGE
MORE AFFORDABLE FOR EVERYBODY
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT POLICIES
WHERE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
WORKING WITH THE STATE
GOVERNMENT AS WELL BECAUSE MANY
OF THESE PUBLIC UNIVERSITIES ARE
FUNDED AT THE STATE LEVEL.
I THINK EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE
TO HAVE FREE COLLEGE, JUNIOR
COLLEGE EDUCATION, TWO YEAR
EDUCATION, MAKE MORE --
MARIA: YOU SAID -- WAIT.
HOLD ON.
EVERYBODY SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE
FREE COLLEGE IS WHAT YOU SAID?
>> NO, I SAID JUNIOR, COMMUNITY
COLLEGE.
THAT IS SOMETHING YOU SEE IN
MANY OTHER COUNTRIES.
SO IF WE COULD DO SOMETHING THAT
AWAS ON A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD.
WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT IT WHEN WE
HAVE MORE TIME DOWN THE ROAD.
THERE ARE THINGS WE SHOULD BE
DOING TO HELP OUR --
MARIA: CONGRESSWOMAN, GOOD TO
SEE YOU.
>> GOOD TO SEE YOU.