CNN's New Day co-host Alisyn Camerota once again revealed her liberal bias regarding illegal immigration on Friday morning, when she asked guest and Republican Congressman Mo Brooks (Ala.) why he used the word “invasion” while discussing the caravan of migrants who headed for the American border earlier this week.
Brooks, who discussed the topic from an economic perspective during the interview, responded: “Because that’s the word that applies.”
Camerota began the segment by reading a statement released by Brooks while emphasizing certain words.
I fully support President Trump’s use of our military to secure the border against invasion by foreign nationals. Recent highly publicized caravans of thousands of foreigners heading for America’s border emphasize that it is past time for Congress to reform laws that entice and reward foreign nationals who illegally invade America.
“Congressman, why are you using the word ‘invasion,’ an illegal invasion there?” she inquired.
“Because that’s the word that applies,” Brooks replied. “If you go to Webster’s dictionary, it absolutely fits that definition.”
“But isn’t this the process for seeking asylum?” the CNN co-host asked. “Don’t people show up on our shores and borders seeking political asylum?”
“As often happens, these folks come into the United States of America illegally when they cross our borders,” Brooks noted.
In fact, he continued, many illegal immigrants “are advised by lawyers to say the right things that need to be said in order to be able to stay in the United States of America.”
“The net effect is that it’s costing us, this illegal immigration problem, $116 billion a year in net tax losses at the city-county-state level and the federal level, and we don’t have that kind of money,” he stated.
Brooks added: “It’s also costing our American and lawful immigrants jobs, and they’re suffering from wage suppression because of the huge surge in the labor supply.”
“That’s debatable, right?” Camerota asked. “There are all sorts of numbers on the other side that show that immigration has helped this country, and they’re the backbone of our economy.”
“[I]mmigration ... is different from illegal aliens,” the guest interjected. “We have the most generous lawful immigration policy on the planet.”
“We’re also talking about this caravan,” the liberal co-host stated. “This got the president’s attention.”
Camerota, who approached the topic from a humanitarian perspective, described the caravan as “something like 1,000 people from Central America, and they say that they are fleeing persecution, they’re fleeing violence in their home countries, and they’re trying to make it here for asylum.”
“There are literally billions of people who could make that same kind of argument,” Brooks replied, “but the bottom line is: As much as we may want to have compassion for people around the planet under these circumstances, America cannot afford it.”
He continued:
We cannot afford to be the planet’s orphanage, the place where everybody comes and lives off the hard work of Americans and lawful immigrants who are already here.
The CNN co-host then asked: “So are you saying that our doors are now closed to people who are fleeing persecution?”
“No,” her guest replied wearily. “When you say they are fleeing persecution, that is a judgment call and something that has to be decided in a legal format. … The caravan is just symbolic of the problem.”
“It sounds like you’re saying we don’t have room for any,” she continued, that “people should no longer come here to our shores if they are fleeing violence and persecution in their home country.”
“We have limitations on how many people we can absorb at any one time,” Brooks responded. “If you want to deny job opportunities to Americans and legal immigrants already here, then fine, be an open border society because that seems to be what you’re arguing for.”
Camerota then cited a 1967 law and stated that “the United States has legal obligations to provide protection and certain rights to those who qualify as refugees.”
“In my opinion,” Brooks responded, “none of those people from Central America are legitimate asylum seekers.”
“How do you know that?” Camerota asked.
“This is not a war zone,” the guest replied.
“How do you know that?” the co-host asked again.
“Because I read,” he responded, “and there is nothing in Central America that suggests to me that there is an armed conflict going on between rebels and government forces or that there are invasions.”
“These are people who are deciding that for economic reasons they want to leave the countries where they are,” Brooks stated, and “will kill the goose that lays the golden egg and will cause tremendous damage to America.”
It’s worth noting that Camerota didn't address any economic concerns regarding illegal immigration. We can only wonder how she’d pay for the policies she promoted.
