Ted Cruz Pushes Back on 'Mainstream Liberal Journalist Question'

August 26th, 2015 8:15 AM

On Tuesday’s The Kelly File, Senator Ted Cruz took exception to a question about whether he would deport all 11 million illegal immigrants in the United States as a “liberal journalist” question. 

Kelly asked the Texas Republican “if you have a husband and a wife who are illegal immigrants and they have two children who are here who are American citizens, would you deport all of them? Would you deport the American citizen children?” 

After Cruz stressed that the focus should be first “we should do everything possible to secure the border and stop illegal immigration” as well as making legal immigration easier, Kelly accused the senator of “dodging my question...You don’t want to answer that question.” 

Cruz pointed out that such a question was the same “question every mainstream liberal journalist wants to ask” and although the Fox host wondered if it was an “unfair question?” the Texas Republican argued that it was a distraction from the bigger issue: 

They focus exclusively on the 12 million people. It is a distraction from how we actually solve the problem. You know, it is also the question Barack Obama wants to focus on. 

As the back-and-forth concluded, Kelly attempted one final time to get an answer from Cruz but the Texas Republican said that wasn’t the problem we needed to address immediately: 

And the way you solve the problem is you focus where there is bipartisan agreement first. Once we secure the border, once we have actually proven we can do this, once we stop the Obama administration’s policy of releasing 104,000 violent criminal illegal aliens in one year, once we solve that problem then we can have a debate, then we can have a conversation.

See relevant transcript below. 

Fox News’ The Kelly File 

August 25, 2015

MEGYN KELLY: I will ask you the same question that was asked here yesterday of Mr. Trump on FOX News which is, if you have a husband and a wife who are illegal immigrants and they have two children who are here who are American citizens, would you deport all of them? Would you deport the American citizen children?

TED CRUZ: So, Megyn, what I have said is that we should approach immigration in a staged matter. We should start with focusing on areas of bipartisan agreement. Where is there bipartisan agreement on two major areas? Number one, that we should do everything possible to secure the border and stop illegal immigration. And number two, to improve and streamline legal immigration. Now, what does that mean to secure the border?

KELLY: Right. But that doesn't sound like an answer. Mr. Trump answered that question explicitly last night on the O'Reilly Factor. Will you do so now?

CRUZ: Well, Megyn, what I'm doing is answering what I think Congress should do. What Congress should do and I introduced legislation to do exactly this, triple the border patrol. Increase four fold the fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft to monitor the border. Put in place a strong biometric exit-entry system because 40 percent of illegal immigration doesn't come across the border it’s VISA overstays. Put in place a strong E-verify system. And then this final piece is critical. Actually have the federal government enforce the law. You know, in the year 2013 --

KELLY: Senator, I understand all that and you've outlined your plan. But unlike you, you are dodging my question. You don't want to answer that question. He says, he would.

CRUZ: Megyn, I'm not playing the game.

(CROSSTALK)

KELLY: -- Under his policy. What would a President Cruz do? Do the American citizen children of two illegal immigrants who are born here, the children, do they get deported under a President Cruz?

CRUZ: Megyn, I get that that’s the question you want to ask, that's also the question every mainstream liberal journalist wants to ask.

KELLY: Is it an unfair question?

CRUZ: They focus exclusively on the 12 million people. It is a distraction from how we actually solve the problem. You know, it is also the question Barack Obama wants to focus on.    

KELLY: Why is it so hard? Why don't you just say yes or no?

CRUZ: Because Megyn, we need to solve the problem. And the way you solve the problem is you focus where there is bipartisan agreement first. Once we secure the border, once we have actually proven we can do this, once we stop the Obama administration’s policy of releasing 104,000 violent criminal illegal aliens in one year, once we solve that problem then we can have a debate, then we can have a conversation.