FIND SPACE FOR THESE MIGRANTS,
ANDREA?
>> THANKS SO MUCH, GABE
GUTIERREZ AND OF COURSE, JOINING
ME NOW IS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN
AND CHAIR OF THE HOMELAND
SECURITY COMMITTEE BENNY
THOMPSON.
THANKS VERY MUCH.
WE KNOW THAT THEIR INTENTIONS
ARE GOOD AND THEY ARE TRYING TO
BE HUMANE FROM THEIR REPORTS AND
FROM WHAT THEY’VE BEEN SAYING
AND FOR THE SECRETARY TO SAY WE
HAVE A PLAN, IS THAT GOOD ENOUGH
RIGHT NOW WHEN YOU’VE GOT 15,000
MIGRANT CHILDREN AND MORE ON THE
WAY AND 822 BEING HELD FOR MORE
THAN TEN DAYS?
>> WELL, THANK YOU FOR HAVING
ME, ANDREA.
WE HAD SECRETARY MAYORKAS BEFORE
THE COMMITTEE LAST WEEK.
HE INDICATED THAT IT WAS A
CHALLENGE, THAT THE NUMBERS ARE
INCREASING AND THAT THE
DEPARTMENT IS CREATING
FACILITIES TO ACCOMMODATE THE
CHILDREN.
THE MIDLAND TEXAS FACILITY WOULD
HOLD 700.
THE DALLAS, TEXAS, FACILITY WILL
HOLD 2300 AS WELL AS SOME OF THE
OTHER FACILITIES THAT WILL BE
COMING ONLINE.
YOU KNOW, WE HAVE, AS AMERICANS,
A VALUE SYSTEM AND SO PART OF
OUR VALUE SYSTEM IS QUITE CLEAR.
WE ARE HUMANITARIANS AND WE
UNDERSTAND CHALLENGES AND WHEN
PEOPLE PRESS END THEMSELVES AT
THE BORDER LIKE THE YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE PRESENTING THEMSELVES, WE
HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT, LET THEM IN
AND TAKE CARE OF THEM.
THEY ARE CHILDREN.
>> THE WHITE HOUSE HAS ANNOUNCED
THAT THERE IS A VISIT BY ROBERTA
JACOBSON, THE SPECIAL ADVISER ON
THIS TO MEXICO AND ALSO BY MR.
GONZALEZ WHO WILL BE GOING ON TO
GUATEMALA.
IS THERE ANY WAY TO RE-PROGRAM
SOME OF THE MONEY THAT WAS
CANCELLED AND STATE DEPARTMENT
MONEY INVOLVING FBI PROGRAMS AND
A LOT OF OTHER LAW ENFORCEMENT
TO DEAL WITH ROOT PROBLEMS FOR
THE NORTHERN TRIANGLE COUNTRY,
BUT TO RE-PROGRAM OR GET MORE
MONEY THERE QUICKLY SO THAT YOU
COULD PROCESS THESE CHILDREN AND
THESE FAMILIES IN COUNTRY AS
WELL AS DEAL WITH THE ROOT
PROBLEMS AND THE CAUSES?
>> WELL, CENTRAL AMERICAN MINERS
PROGRAM IS ONE OF THOSE PROGRAMS
WHERE WE WILL ENGAGE GUATEMALA,
HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR AND CREATE
A PROCESS BY WHICH YOUNG PEOPLE
CAN MAKE APPLICATION IN THOSE
COUNTRIES RATHER THAN GO THE
DANGEROUS TREK TO MEXICO TO GET
TO THE SOUTHERN BORDER.
WE HOPE TO ENGAGE THAT.
THE STATE DEPARTMENT IS MOVING
IN THAT DIRECTION, AND FOR ALL
INTENTS AND PURPOSES WE HAVE A
NUMBER OF STEPS GOING.
THE FIRST THING WE HAVE TO DO,
THOUGH, IS FOR THESE YOUNG
PEOPLE WHO PRESENT THEMSELVES AT
THE BORDER, WE HAVE TO TAKE CARE
OF THEM.
OBVIOUSLY, THE TIME CONSTRAINTS
ARE CHALLENGING.
THE 72-HOUR REQUIREMENT FOR CBP,
IT’S DIFFICULT TO MEET WITH THE
NUMBERS WE HAVE.
WE’RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN.
HHS IS TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE
LONGER TERM FACILITIES, BUT IT’S
A BUILDOUT.
I ENCOURAGE THIS COUNTRY TO BE
PATIENT AND THOSE YOUNG PEOPLE
ARE SERIOUS.
WHEN YOU SEE 5, 6, 7-YEAR-OLDS
COMING HUNDREDS OF MILES TO SEEK
THE SOUTHERN BORDER, THAT’S A
COMMITMENT AND FOR THOSE
FAMILIES THAT ARE BEING
SEPARATED, IT’S ALSO DAUNTING,
BUT YOU KNOW, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAD A DIFFERENT
POLICY THAT REMAIN IN MEXICO
POLICY, THOSE POLICIES OF
INHUMANE TREATMENT ALONG THE
BORDER, THAT’S NOT WHO WE ARE.
SO I WOULD GIVE PRESIDENT BIDEN
AND HIS ADMINISTRATION AN
OPPORTUNITY TO HELP ALLEVIATE
THESE PROBLEMS.
I’M HEARING FROM PEOPLE IN MY
AREA WHO WANT TO FACILITATE SOME
OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE AND I’M 1500
MILES FROM THE BORDER, BUT THERE
ARE PEOPLE WHO HAVE CONSCIENCE
WHO WANT TO HELP.
WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE
INDIVIDUALS ARE CERTIFIED SO
THAT IF THEY WANT TO HELP AND
THEY MEET THE TEST.
I’M CONVINCED THAT SECRETARY
MAYORKAS ALONG WITH OTHER
ADMINISTRATORS IN THEED
ADMINISTRATORS IN THE BIDEN
ADMINISTRATION WILL DO JUST
THAT.
>> CONGRESSMEN, FINALLY, WHAT
ABOUT PRESS ACCESS.
EVEN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION
LET REPORTERS IN ON SUPERVISED
TOURS.
HOW DO YOU JUSTIFY NOT
PERMITTING THE NEWS MEDIA SO
THAT WE’RE RELYING ON BOOTLEG
PHOTOS?
>> WELL, FROM MY PERSPECTIVE ONE
WHO HAS BEEN SOMEWHAT INVOLVED
IN OPENNESS AND GOVERNMENT, I’M
SURE THIS ADMINISTRATION WILL
WORK ON PRESS ACCESS.
ONE WAY YOU CAN RESOLVE SOME OF
THE CHALLENGES IS BY LETTING THE
PUBLIC KNOW.
SO I CERTAIN BEFORE THE WEEK’S