CNN’s Juliette Kayyem Says There Should Be ‘No Immigration Enforcement’ Near Robb Elementary School
CNN national security and former Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem was on a streak on Tuesday with some interesting claims following the tragic shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
Salvador Ramos, 18, shot and killed 19 children and two adults, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. Ramos was shot and killed by police. It is the third-deadliest school shooting in U.S. history, behind the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting and 2012 Sandy Hook shooting.
“From an investigation standpoint, I’m going to do what the facts tell me now,” said Kayyem, who went on to say the enforcement of immigration laws near Uvalde should be stopped altogether.
Kayyem said that the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District is an “80 percent Hispanic school district,” but the figure is 90 percent, according to the Texas Education Agency. It is the demographics in Uvalde overall that is 80 percent Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Kayyem also called for the United States to halt immigration enforcement in the area in the aftermath of the shooting.
“The most important thing for the federal government to do right now is to say there will be no immigration enforcement during this period in that area. It has a large immigration population,” she said. “You want parents with their kids. You don’t want people hiding right now. And we need to make that clear, ASAP because of the political issues in Texas.”
She later reiterated this stance:
This investigation is really going to go to motive at this stage and then, of course, what’s happening to the families. I want to say one more time, though, and it’s important. Again, I don’t know motives, we don’t know motives. I am just telling you demographics. It is a predominantly Hispanic population with a large immigrant community, relatively near San Antonio.
We need the federal government to say right now, everyone is essentially safe harbor right now in terms of immigration status. We need people to come forward, not to be fearful of immigration status. Get their kids, get their family members, because what happens in incidents like this is when we’re going to have a strong police presence, a strong federal presence. We know this. A lot of people do not react, especially if their status is unknown, do not react to police presence as you or I may.
And we want to make sure that they know, despite all the politics that are going on in Texas right now, it’s the federal government that’s in charge of immigration enforcement, and people are safe. Get your kids, get your families together. Do not hide. The White House just needs to say that right now. This should not be delayed.
Aside from how absurd and irresponsible it would be to halt immigration enforcement anywhere in that the law should be enforced, Uvalde is 75 miles from the southern Border. It is also worth mentioning that Border Patrol agents responded to the shooting and one of them shot and killed Ramos. Moreover, just because there’s a Hispanic population in Uvalde, that doesn’t mean all of the Hispanics are immigrants. And it is unknown how many illegal aliens reside in the school district.
Additionally, Kayyem incorrectly quoted Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton as saying that schoolchildren should be armed. Paxton called for arming teachers. Kayyem should have known that and that it is illegal for those under the age of 21 to carry a firearm.
Finally, Kayeem claimed the school was hit by artillery when it actually wasn’t. “They got 18 little bodies that are destroyed by really heavy artillery and the only person who knows is a parent,” she said.
Kayyem put on a clinic in what not to do following a breaking news event, especially a shooting. Facts should supersede emotions.
May the 21 gunned down rest in peace.
Watch above, via CNN.
This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.
