CNN anchor Brianna Keilar shut down Rep. Josh Brecheen (R-OK) with a strongly worded fact-check during a Tuesday discussion about the current powers of the president when it comes to the border.
Keilar began by asking Brecheen to explain his concerns with the bipartisan border deal that she noted has been endorsed by the Border Patrol union.
“The real solution is, it’s already been on the books for decades, and they refuse to enforce it. 2017 it was being enforced. You had the lowest number of illegal immigration in our nation’s history, 40 years. And yet what’s the difference between 2017 and to date? The difference is an administration that chooses to be lawless and Republicans go ahead,” argued the Oklahoma Republican.
“Can we have an honest conversation about this? Because the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952 that you’re talking about also says that people can come to the border and ask for asylum, even if they cross into the U.S. without authorization,” Keilar shot back, adding:
And if you’re citing that bill, you should be very much aware of this, because this particular bill in the Senate side would change that. It would give the president the ability to do exactly what you were citing, the part of the bill that you’re citing because in November of 2018, when former President Trump tried to use that very bill that you’re talking
about to curb illegal migrant crossings, he was prevented from doing so by a federal court because it violated the very law that he was trying to use. The law that you were saying is on the books.
“The law that’s on the books. President Biden on day five utilized it when it came to Brazil, South America, South Africa, excuse me, and United Kingdom. He utilized that, that provision of law,” Brecheen continued as Keilar cut him off.
“It can’t apply to asylum, Congressman,” Keilar insisted.
“Let me finish. But let me finish. We want to have an honest conversation,” Brecheen replied, adding:
When on day five, President Biden utilized the Immigration Nationality Act to say to those from United Kingdom, South Africa, and Brazil, you’re done, because that there is a provision that says a class of aliens or entirety of aliens, if it’s that they are seen as being destructive to the United States, the president has the authority just to holler, whoa!
“But you are just wrong when it comes to that bill, because what you are calling for President Biden to do is something that former President Trump attempted and that a court found he couldn’t do. The bill says that people can come to the U.S. border and ask for asylum, even if they cross into the U.S. without authorization. And I know that’s inconvenient, but that is in the very
The two began to speak over each other a bit as Keilar concluded, ”You can’t use one part of the bill to invalidate the other part. And that is actually something that the court found. I would ask that you revisit what happened in November of 2018, and you’ll see exactly what I mean.”
“I would, in all due respect, I would ask you revisit in 2017 the lowest numbers in 40 years of illegal immigration with the same laws on the books. The difference is leadership. Lawlessness begets lawlessness, and we have an administration who refuses to enforce the laws that are on the books,” Brecheen concluded.
Watch the clip above via CNN.