OKAY. WE’LL BE LOOKING AT YOU. YOU CAN WORRY ABOUT LOOKING AT US GET TO THAT CAMERA, OK?
FOR THE VALLEY TO IMMIGRATION,
PERHAPS MORE. OUR NEXT GUEST
WILL ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT
THOSE TOPICS.
>> HE’S CONGRESSMAN TONY
GONZALES WHO REPRESENTS TEXAS
23RD CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.
IT INCLUDES A BIG PART OF THE
BORDER. IT ALSO INCLUDES A
VALLEY. THAT’S RIGHT NOW.
SO WE’RE NOW ONE MONTH THE ON
UVALDE MASSACRE THERE. PEOPLE
SPENT EVERYWHERE, BUT
ESPECIALLY IN THAT DISTRICT
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED IS, YOU KNOW, THAT’S
BEEN ONE OF THE CRITICISMS THAT
PEOPLE HAVE HAD FOR LEADERS
IN THAT AREA.
>> WHERE ARE YOU ON THAT?
AND WHAT ARE YOU PREPARED TO DO
TO HELP PEOPLE THERE? GET THE
ANSWERS AS TO WHAT HAPPENED ON
THAT DAY. YEAH. THANK YOU FOR
HAVING ME, STEVE. THANK YOU,
JENNIFER. A LOOK AT OUT.
HE’S A LITTLE OVER A MONTH AGO
AND WE’RE STILL HEALING.
YOU KNOW, WE’RE STILL TRYING TO
GET BACK TO NORMAL, IF YOU
WILL. THERE’S A LOT OF ANSWERS
THAT NEED TO THE NEED TO BE
FOUND OUT AND WE NEED TO LEARN
FROM IT. AND IT’S NOT ONLY
ABOUT UVALDE IS ABOUT
EVERYBODY. EVERYBODY NEEDS TO
FIND OUT THE TRUTH. AND I THINK
THAT NEEDS TO COME I WANT TO
WAIT TO ALL THAT COULD CHECKING
OUT. THERE’S LIKE 5
INVESTIGATIONS GOING ON.
BUT THE OTHER PART IS WE’RE
GETTING READY FOR SCHOOL.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE
LIKE TEACHERS ARE GETTING READY
FOR SCHOOL. THERE’S 5
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN UVALDE
AREA. I WAS JUST AN ALPINE OUT
IN WEST TEXAS.
>> EVERYONE IS CONCERNED ABOUT
SCHOOL ON A FATHER OF 6.
I’M CONCERNED ABOUT SCHOOL.
SO WE’VE BEEN LOOKING TO GET
GRANTS. WE JUST GOT UVALDE A
1.5 MILLION DOLLAR GRANT TO
HELP WITH THAT. SOME OF THE
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
POLICE OFFICERS WOULDN’T WANT
TO TALK ABOUT SOME OF GUN
LEGISLATION THAT WAS PASSED OR
>> IN THE IN THE PAST. SPEAKING
OF THE PAST, YOU HAVE VOTED
AGAINST BACKGROUND CHECKS.
YES, ABOUT CLOSING SOME
LOOPHOLES. IT SEEMS IF YOU
CHANGE YOUR MIND AFTER WHAT
HAPPENED IN YOUR I WRITE ABOUT
THAT KNOW THAT I’VE ALWAYS BEEN
CONSERVATIVE IN WHO I AM.
THAT’S THAT’S EXACTLY WHO I
AM. AND THEN AFTER THIS, AFTER
THE HORRIBLE INCIDENT UVALDE
HAPPENED, I VOTED AGAINST SOME
LEGISLATION THAT I THOUGHT DID
NOT ANSWER IT TO MEET THE
CRITERIA WAS ALWAYS THIS WITH
THE LEGISLATION HAVE STOPPED
THE UVALDE SHOOTING AND THE
SAFEST COMMUNITY ACT EXACTLY
ANSWERS THAT. SO THAT WAS ONE
REASON WHY VOTED FOR THE OTHER
REASON WAS THIS IS THE LARGEST
INVESTMENT IN MENTAL HEALTH IN
OUR NATION’S HISTORY. OVER
11 BILLION DOLLARS IN MENTAL
HEALTH. SO NOW THAT IT’S SIGNED
INTO LAW, WHICH BY THE WAY,
I GOT INVITED TO THE WHITE
HOUSE ON MONDAY TO BE PART OF
THE CEREMONIAL SIGNING. NOW
THAT SIGNED INTO LAW. WE AS
LAWMAKERS, I DON’T CARE IF YOU
VOTED FOR IT OR AGAINST IT.
WE’VE GOT TO BRING THOSE
DOLLARS BACK. TEXAS IS RANKED
DEAD LAST. WE’RE 50TH IN MENTAL
HEALTH ACCESS. WE HAVE CHANGE
THAT. BUT DO WE ALSO HAVE TO
TALK ABOUT GUNS AT SOME AT SOME
POINT LIKE IT? IF IT’S RAISING
THE MINIMUM AGE FOR PEOPLE TO
BUY ASSAULT RIFLES, IT’S WHAT
I MEAN IT MENTAL HEALTH HAS I
THINK THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE
TALKED ABOUT, BUT IT ALSO
ESPECIALLY AFTER WHAT WE SAW
THIS WEEKEND IN HIGHLAND PARK.
DO WE ALSO NEED TO LOOK AT THE
WAY WE DEAL WITH GUNS IN THIS
COUNTRY? LOOK, I THINK IT’S A
TOPIC THAT NEEDS OUR ATTENTION
100% IS ABOUT TO ME. IT’S ABOUT
SCHOOL SAFETY. IT’S ABOUT
SAFETY IN GENERAL FOR OUR
CHILDREN ARE GROWING UP IN A
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT
ENVIRONMENT THAN YOU AND I GREW
UP. AND IT’S A DANGEROUS WORLD
OUT THERE. EVERYTHING SHOULD
BE ON THE TABLE. BUT WHAT WHAT
WHAT I SEE ALL THE TIME IS
THIS. IT’S NEVER ENOUGH FOR FOR
CERTAIN PEOPLE ALWAYS WANT
MORE. THERE WAS ONE MORE LOOK,
WE PASS A PIECE OF LEGISLATION
THAT HADN’T BEEN PASS IN THIS
MANNER IN DECADES. THIS IS A
TIME FOR US TO GO. HOW DO WE
TAKE THAT MOMENTUM AND MOVE
FORWARD? THERE’S A LOT OF OTHER
IMMIGRATION REFORM, I THINK IS
A VERY IMPORTANT TOPIC THAT
WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT HEALTH
CARE, EDUCATION AS A WHOLE.
THERE’S A LOT OF IMPORTANT
TOPICS I’M LOOKING AT. CONGRESS
NEEDS TO LEAD AGAIN. QUICK
PUTTING THE BALL TO THE
EXECUTIVE BRANCH, QUIT BLAMING
THE PRESIDENT, WHETHER IT’S
TRUMP OR BIDEN FOR EVERYTHING
THAT’S WRONG. CONGRESS HAS TO
LEAD AGAIN LONG TERM. I WOULD
GO BACK TO SOMETHING THAT YOU
SAID. HE SAID THAT ONE OF THE
THINGS THAT WOULD HAVE SOLVED
IS IS WHAT HAPPENED IN UVALDE.
YOU KNOW, GUN CONTROL, THINGS
LIKE THAT.
>> BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT
WAS DISCUSSED WAS RAISING THE
MINIMUM WAGE OF FOR TO BUY
ASSAULT RIFLES. AND THAT WOULD
HAVE BEEN ONE THING THAT WOULD
STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING.
YEAH. AT THE END OF THE DAY,
THIS GUY SHOULD HAVE BEEN FOUND
OUT EARLY ON. NOT HE SHOULD
HAVE BEEN ABLE TO BUY THAT
WEAPON TO NOT BECAUSE HE WAS A
TIME AROUND CHECKS. YEAH,
THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WAS IN THIS
PACKAGE WAS.
>> EXTENSIVE BACKGROUND CHECKS
IN PARTICULAR FOR JUVENILE
AREAS BECAUSE IF THAT WOULD
HAPPEN, WHICH IS NOW WALL, IF
THAT WERE TO HAPPEN, TO HAVE
BEEN IDENTIFIED, THAT THIS
PERSON SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN
ABLE TO BUY WEAPON. NOT BECAUSE
HE WAS 18, NOT BE IT THEY ARE,
BUT BECAUSE HE WAS MENTALLY
UNSTABLE, THERE’S A MENTAL
HEALTH CRISIS IN THIS COUNTRY.
WE’RE SEEING IT EVERY DAY.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF WOMEN
WITH MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND
YOU DON’T HAVE WOMEN. THAT’S
YES, YES, THANK YOU. I WAS
SITTING DOWN WITH A COLLEAGUE
OF MINE, GARRET, GRAVES OF
LOUISIANA, AND WE’RE TALKING
ABOUT VERY CONSERVATIVE GUY.
WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THIS AND
GOES, TONY, WHY ARE THEY ONLY
MEN LIKE WHY DON’T WE
RESEARCHED THIS AND FIGURE OUT
WHAT’S HAPPENING? THIS IS PART
OF THE ALL OF THE ABOVE
SOLUTIONS AND I DON’T THINK
THIS IS GOING AWAY. THIS IS
ONLY GETTING WORSE AND WE
ABSOLUTELY NEED TO SIT DOWN AND
HAVE A REAL CONVERSATION.
NOT AS REPUBLICANS, NOT AS
DEMOCRATS AS FATHERS, AS
MOTHERS AS BROTHERS AND SAYS,
SIT DOWN AND SOLVE SOME OF
THESE PROBLEMS. THERE’S A LOT
OF THINGS TO TALK ABOUT.
BUT, YOU KNOW, IMMIGRATION
REFORM IS ANOTHER AND THAT’S
WHAT I WANT TO GET TO IT.
I THINK.
DO YOU THINK I’M WRONG IN
SAYING THAT IT TOOK SOMETHING
LIKE UVALDE TO MOVE THE NEEDLE
KNOW ON GUN CONTROL AND IS IT
GOING TO?
>> IS WHAT WE SAW IN SOUTH SAN
ANTONIO. HORRIFIC. YES, C PLUS
MIGRANTS IN THE BACK OF A
TRACTOR TRAILER SMUGGLED JUST
TRYING TO GET YOU KNOW, YES, IT
LIVE THE AMERICAN LIFE. IS
THAT? GOING TO MOVE THE NEEDLE
AT ALL AND
IMMIGRATION BECAUSE YOUVE YOU
ALLUDED TO IT. WE DO THIS DANCE
WHERE WE BLAME THE PRESIDENT
FIRST, TRUMP OR BIDEN AND WE
BLAME, YOU KNOW, ALL THESE
OTHER THINGS WE HAVE PEOPLE
TODAY CALLING IT AN INVASION.
HOW DO WE MOVE THE NEEDLE ON
IMMIGRATION REFORM? YES.
SEE, THIS ISN’T NORMAL. WHAT IS
HAPPENING RIGHT NOW IS NOT
NORMAL AND IT SHOULDN’T BE
ACCEPTABLE. MEAN 53 PEOPLE
CENTRALLY COOKED TO DEATH IN
THE BACK OF A TRUCK.
>> IT SHOULD GET EVERYBODY’S
ATTENTION. AND LOOK, THERE’S
SOME THINGS THAT THE THAT THE
WHITE HOUSE SHOULD DO. THERE’S
SOME THINGS THAT CONGRESS
SHOULD YOU. THERE’S A FEW
THINGS IN PARTICULAR. LOOK,
REPATRIATION, FLIGHTS. THEY SAY
IF A PERSON DOES NOT QUALIFY
FOR ASYLUM, YOU SEND THEM BACK
TO THEIR COUNTRY OF ORIGIN THAT
PREVENT OTHER PEOPLE FROM
COMING. IMMIGRATION JUDGES
RIGHT NOW TAKES 3 YEARS TO GET
A CASE HEARD. THAT’S
UNACCEPTABLE. THE INCREASE
INCREASE THE JUDGES. THESE
AREN’T A NOVEL CONCEPTS.
THESE THINGS WORK. IF YOU
INCREASE IMMIGRATION JUDGES,
THEY WORK. AND THE 3RD THING
IS THIS IS WORK VISAS. LET
PEOPLE THAT WANT TO COME AND
WORK AND PROVIDE FOR THEMSELVES
IN THE FAMILY SHOULD BE ABLE TO
DO THAT. LAST YEAR. THE
ADMINISTRATION ISSUED WITH OVER
A MILLION FEWER WORK VISAS.
THIS IS AN AREA. I THINK WE CAN
GO ALL IN ON AND NOT JUST FOR
AGRICULTURE, NOT JUST FOR
CONSTRUCTION. WE’RE SEEING
WE’RE SEEING VACANCIES IN EVERY
INDUSTRY, RIGHT? I’M NOT
TALKING AMNESTY. I’M NOT
TALKING. BUILD A WALL. I’M NOT
TALKING UP, YOU KNOW, A PATHWAY
TO CITIZEN WORK VISA. SO LET’S
START THERE AND LET’S BUILD OUT
FROM THERE. CAN YOU STAY WITH
US AT THE BREAK? OF COURSE, GOT
A LOT MORE WANT TO TALK ABOUT.
OBVIOUSLY, THESE ARE
COMPLICATED, SECURE, HAPPY TO
STEPHANIE AND I WILL BE. >> RIGHT BACK AFTER THE BREAK. 2 MINUTES. WE’LL SEE YOU THEN.
>> WE’RE BACK LIVE WITH
CONGRESSMAN TONY GONZALES HAS
BEEN GRACIOUS ENOUGH TO JOIN
US FOR THIS KSAT Q AND A
SEGMENT. WE’RE EXPANDING IT A
LITTLE BIT. YOU HAVE A HUGE
SECTION OF DISTRICT. 23 THAT
RUNS ALONG THE BORDER. YES, DEL
RIO EAGLE PASS AND ALL THE WAY
TO OUR PINE THAT’LL PASO EL
PASO.
>> WHEN YOU HEAR RHETORIC.
>> CALLING THIS AN INVASION
OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS. WHAT’S
YOUR REACTION TO THAT? YEAH,
LOOK, I REPRESENT 42% OF THE
SOUTHERN BORDER MY THE PEOPLE
THAT I REPRESENT EVERYONE IS IS
AT THE END OF THE ROAD. I MEAN,
THEY’RE TIRED. I GET IT.
>> THEY’RE UPSET. THEY’RE
FRUSTRATED. THEY’RE MAD ALL
THESE THINGS. SO THEIR LIVES
ARE TURNED UPSIDE DOWN THERE.
LOOKING FOR SOMETHING T
CHANGE. BUT THE RHETORIC
DOESN’T SOLVE ANYTHING. ALL IT
DOES IS POINT BLAME. AND TO
ME I DIDN’T RUN TO BE A
POLITICIAN TO BLAME OTHERS,
IRAN TO SOLVE PROBLEMS. AND
PART OF IT IS THIS. LOOK, I’VE
BEEN PUSHING FOR THE WHITE OUR
STAFFS HAVE GOTTEN TOGETHER
WHEN THE PRESIDENT VISITED
UVALDE. I ASKED IF I COULD
VISIT WITH HIM TO TALK ABOUT
THE BORDER. HE AGREED TO THAT.
I HOPE THAT COMES THROUGH.
BUT IN THE MEANTIME, I HAD
DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT OF
GUATEMALA, GUATEMALA LAST WEEK
AND I GO LOOK, MISTER
PRESIDENT, WHAT CAN WE WHAT DO
YOU NEED? AND HE’S GOING TO
HELP US SECURE OUR BORDERS SO
WE CAN HELP US CARRIERS.
BUT ISN’T IT DANGEROUS WHEN
YOU COMING? INVASION IS KIND
OF THE SAME LANGUAGE THAT THE
SHOOTER IN EL PASO USED AS
JUSTIFICATION FOR HIM TO GO
DOWN THERE AND DO THE HEINOUS
ACT THAT HE DID.
>> WHEN WE TALK ABOUT STATE
AUTHORITIES TAKING OVER FEDERAL
ROLLS. AND YOU KNOW, WE’RE
WE’RE A COUNTRY OF LAWS.
>> ARE WE GETTING CLOSE TO A
SLIPPERY SLOPE HERE? I THINK
THERE’S THIS ANGER THAT IS
HAPPENING AND WE IF WE FEED AND
ANGER, ALL IT’S GOING TO DO IS
LEAD TO NOTHING GOOD, RIGHT?
AND THAT’S WHAT WORRIES ME.
WHAT HAPPENS. ONE RANCHER START
TAKING THINGS INTO THEIR OWN
HANDS. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU
KNOW THE THESE DIFFERENT
ENTITIES START DOING THAT?
THAT’S WHERE TO ME THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS TO STEP IN AS
THE ONLY WAY THIS THING GETS
SOLVED. IT’S A FEDERAL ISSUE
AND IT CAN’T JUST BE ONE PARTY.
IT’S GOT TO BE BOTH PARTIES
COMING TOGETHER. I’M ONLY I’M
NOT LOOKING TO GO. THIS IS
AMAZING. THIS IS GOING HELP.
THE REPUBLICANS WIN BACK THE
HOUSE. ALL THAT WILL WORK
ITSELF OUT. I’M GOING HOW DO WE
GET HELP TODAY? HOW DO WE FIX
IT?
>> THE WORK VISAS MAKES SENSE
TO ME. IMMIGRATION FOR 4 MAKE
SENSE TO ME THE THE SECURING
THE BORDER VIA THESE
REPATRIATION FLIGHT. ALL THESE
THINGS ARE ARE NOT NEW ITEMS,
BUT WE NEED TO HAVE A
CONVERSATION ON THERE. PEOPLE
LOOK TO YOU FOR LEADERSHIP.
IT SOUND YOUR CITIZENS LIKE
YOU HAVE A VERY COMPASSIONATE,
A RESPONSE TO IMMIGRATION IN
THIS. BUT
>> YOU’RE NOT REALLY IN LINE
WITH THE REST OF YOUR PARTY
WHEN IT COMES TO THIS. HOW DO
YOU DO THAT? IF THE PEOPLE ON
YOUR SIDE OF THE AISLE, IF YOU
CAN’T EVEN HAVE A CONVERSATION
WITH THEM ABOUT THIS, IF
THEY’RE USING WORDS LIKE
INVASION. YES, STEPHANIE, I
WOULD. I BEG TO DIFFER. I
HOSTED 64 MEMBERS OF CONGRESS
AT THE BORDER.
>> AND EVERY TIME I’M HOSTING
2 MORE DELEGATIONS THIS MONTH,
IT WILL BE OVER 70 MEMBERS.
AND EVERY TIME I COME, I GO,
LOOK, YOU’RE GOING TO SEE THE
BORDER. YOU’RE GOING TO SEE ALL
THE CHAOS THAT’S GOING ON.
BUT THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO THE
BORDER THAN JUST WHAT YOU SEE
ON FOX NEWS OR CNN. AND WE SIT
DOWN WITH RANCHERS, A GOOD
EXAMPLE OF A RANCHER OUT UVALDE
AND PRODUCES ONIONS. WILL GUESS
WHAT? HE CAN GET WORK VISAS.
SO WE HAD MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
OF ONIONS. GO BAD. WELL, GUESS
WHERE THOSE ONIONS ARE GOING?
H E B, RIGHT? SO WE SIT DOWN.
WE HAVE THIS DISCUSSION AND I
HAVE THE THE PEOPLE THAT LIVE
THERE TO MIGHT MY COLLEAGUES TO
TO THIS IS WHAT WE NEED.
THE MAYOR’S, THE JUDGES, THE
SHERIFF’S, THE EVERYDAY
WORKERS. SO TO ME, I THINK
THAT’S PLANNING SEATS. SO WHEN
WE DO HAVE A BROADER
DISCUSSION, I GO BACK AND GO,
HEY, MEMBER. WHEN YOU VISIT A
YEAR AGO 2 YEARS AGO AND YOU
HAD THAT RANCHERS SAY, HEY, WE
IMMIGRATION REFORM. NOW’S THE
TIME TO HAVE THIS CONVERSATION.
LAST THING I’LL SAY IS IN 2
WEEKS ON HOSTING A DEMOCRAT
MEMBER OF CONGRESS FROM
FLORIDA, THAT DOESN’T HAPPEN,
RIGHT? THE PARTIES ARE SO
DIVIDED TO COME AND TALK ABOUT
THE BORDER. SO DARREN SOTO’S
COMING DOWN REALLY EXCITED
ABOUT THAT. WE’RE GOING TO
VISIT SAN ANTONIO UVALDE DEL
RIO AND HAVE A BROADER
DISCUSSION ON THINGS. YEAH,
LET’S HOPE. LET’S NOT MAKE
BIPARTISANSHIP A DIRTY WORD.
THAT’S RIGHT. THAT’S RIGHT.
CONGRESSMAN TONY GONZALES,