The most frequent congressional guest on Univision’s weekly Al Punto national public affairs show was back on this week. On this occasion, Congressman Luis Gutiérrez decided to simultaneously make the case for unrestricted entry into the U.S. of asylum-seekers, along with gun control.
There’s no bigger advocate in Congress for undermining the enforcement of current federal immigration laws than the Chicago Democrat. In the interview, Gutiérrez discussed the recent ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals which directs that unaccompanied undocumented minors must be released from Department of Homeland Security detention centers, but that the release does not include their parents.
Predictably, Gutiérrez took advantage of the opportunity to push for additional open border policy.
REP. LUIS GUTIÉRREZ: We’ve always supported this lawsuit before the courts because the Flores decision is clear. Children cannot be detained. Now, let’s be clear, we’re not going to rest until no person is detained that comes looking for political asylum or refuge here in this country.
The funny thing is that in the same interview, Gutiérrez was also asked about gun control and violence in the U.S., and that’s when the narrative changed sharply.
REP. LUIS GUTIÉRREZ: Here in the United States, there’s a serious answer missing on firearms, and what do we see? Violence, violence. We see young people dancing, dancing in Orlando… killed. We see people praying in their churches in Charlotte. What did we see this week? We saw police killed.
So, which one is it Congressman? Is the United States a place of refuge for all escaping war? Or is it a war zone?
With Jorge Ramos out on assignment, the role of hosting the latest edition of Al Punto fell to Léon Krauze. In the past, we’ve given Krauze mixed reviews – in the recent past he threw softballs at Hillary Clinton but in another interview he put Bernie Sanders in a corner when asking about the failures of socialism in Latin America.
The thing is, Krauze’s latest interview left a lot of the details of securing the country to the imagination. While in a perfect world the United States might always be open to receiving many refugees fleeing war-torn countries, violence and oppression, the reality is we do not live in such a fantasyland. He also went on to suggest (as a New York Times article did recently) while recognizing political risks briefly, that the President use his constitutional pardon powers to pardon millions of undocumented immigrants. Gutiérrez, predictably, loved the idea.
When Univision reported on tuberculosis among recent waves of Central American refugees and undocumented immigrants, it worked hard to minimize the danger. Both Univision and Telemundo have subsequently largely ignored the largest outbreak of measles since it was eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. In addition, there are currently conflicting statements on our vetting process of refugees – with the Department of Justice saying it has a “significant vetting” process and the FBI saying that there are serious “gaps” in screening.
Earlier this year, even PolitiFact certified that the border is not just under threat by drug smuggling and human trafficking, but also by illegal incursions into the country from ISIS operatives themselves.
Below you can find the relevant transcript of the cited portions from Léon Krauze’s interview with Democrat Congressman Luis Gutiérrez, aired on the July 10 edition of Al Punto:
UNIVISION
AL PUNTO
7/10/16
10:46:32 AM - 10:51:42 AM | 5 MIN 10 SEC
LEÓN KRAUZE, HOST, AL PUNTO: Let's talk about another issue. The immigration nightmare continues for Central American families who are in detention, even though a federal appeals court ruled that the Department of Homeland Security should release immediately children who are deprived of freedom. The decision does not include their parents, who will remain in detention centers. Congressman Luis Gutierrez has seen the conditions of these families and is with us now. Congressman, thanks for being with us. How do you react to the decision of the appellate court?
REP. LUIS GUTIERREZ, D-IL: We’ve always supported this lawsuit before the courts because the Flores decision is clear. Children cannot be detained. Now, let’s be clear, we’re not going to rest until no person is detained that comes looking for political asylum or refuge here in this country. These people do not represent a danger. So the kids are out, but it is punishment when the child is separated from his mother. So parents should not be imprisoned, when their children are released out of detention centers.
LEÓN KRAUZE, HOST, AL PUNTO: This is exactly what we said now, the [court’s] opinion does not include parents, then it may be the case that a child, a Central American child, is released from the detention center and the parents are stuck there, with whom will they go? It is a little absurd, right?
REP. LUIS GUTIERREZ, D-IL: It is absurd to take a child who is already traumatized, and now separate them from their parents and put them with people outside that do not know them. It makes no sense, because you are going to traumatize the child, number one. Number two, the public policy of the United States must keep families together, and although the court only said that children are protected, that does not mean that the Department of Homeland Security cannot maintain unity. Next week I will have a meeting with the senior Homeland Security officials, and I am working with colleagues because, what is our goal? Our goal is that no one is left in detention facility that does not pose a danger to the United States.
LEÓN KRAUZE, HOST, AL PUNTO: Now, before asking about Dallas and what also happened in Louisiana and Minnesota, I want to ask you about the following: A column in the New York Times suggested that President Obama could take a decision, while it has its political risks, but it could change the lives of millions - use the power of presidential pardon to forgive millions of undocumented immigrants. Should President Obama consider something like this?
REP. LUIS GUTIERREZ, D-IL: Look, the truth is I read with interest the article in the New York Times. I think it's something you should consider, I do not know all the ramifications, but I want to share this: If the President can, he should use all means at his disposal to avoid people being deported and separated from their families, number one. And if the possibility is available that he can use, look, I have not had that conversation with the President or with personnel in the administration, but I think it's a good conversation to have.
LEÓN KRAUZE, HOST, AL PUNTO: Now let me ask about another American nightmare, what happened this week. You come from Chicago, you also know urban violence. What is happening in the United States, Congressman?
REP. LUIS GUTIERREZ, D-IL: Here in the United States, there’s a serious answer missing on firearms, and what do we see? Violence, violence. We see young people dancing, dancing in Orlando… killed. We see people praying in their churches in Charlotte. What did we see this week? We saw police killed, while maintaining the peace, while they were ensuring that the people could talk and enjoy their free speech rights freely. All firearms, look, and I know that the rhetoric here is always, if we were all armed… the police was armed, they’re trained. And you know what? They demonstrated courage, and yet they’re still dead. My heart, and the hearts of, I am sure, millions in the United States, demand, cry out for a solution, these are firearms that only have one purpose, to kill, these are for armies and not for civilian personnel in our society.
