‘You Are Trying to Have It Both Ways!’ Victor Blackwell Spars with GOP Rep. on Governors Transporting Migrants

CNN’s Victor Blackwell and Rep. Beth Van Duyne (R-TX) sparred during CNN Newsroom on Monday over Republican governors transporting migrants to Democrat-controlled jurisdictions without any notification.

Van Duyne argued during the segment that notification isn’t a key factor in being able to manage an influx of migrants and cited her time as a small-town mayor in Texas as evidence.

“We didn’t have the resources. We didn’t have the housing. We didn’t have the schools, we didn’t have the health care. So, getting a phone call that you have thousands of people headed your way does no good,” Van Duyne argued, adding:

What we really need to do is not give a phone call. What we really need to do is work on the policies under the last administration that were working, Title 40 to remain in Mexico, having Customs and Immigration, Immigrations and Customs Enforcement be able to deport criminal illegal aliens.

Those were all tools that were working under the last administration that systematically this administration has just torn through.

“Title 42 was specifically for COVID,” jumped in Blackwell, adding, “But you ask, ‘Notifying does what? Notifying does no good.’”

“I know, Congresswoman, that you support notification because you are an original co-sponsor of House 6592: The Immigration Transparency and Transit Notification Act,” Blackwell continued, citing the bill Van Duyne co-sponsored, “that would require the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Secretary of Health and Human Services to notify the relevant federal, state and local officials of a jurisdiction at least seven days before transporting a covered alien to such jurisdiction by airplane, motor vehicle or other means.”

“If you think it should be law that the federal government notifies the state, why shouldn’t the states be required to notify cities that they’re sending migrants? Is it politically just convenient to be against the Democratic administration and not require that of Republican governors,” Blackwell continued as Van Duyne spoke in the background.

“No, I am for secure borders. I am for orderly immigration. I think what you’re seeing in the state of Texas, again, is millions of people having crossed our border,” the Republican responded, adding:

We haven’t gotten any notification. We didn’t get a phone call when we say it’s a problem the borders are closed or are open. You know, we have, ‘No, the borders aren’t open. No, we have systematic immigration.’

Well, you can’t have it both ways, you can’t complain that you got people coming in and not being notified at the same time arguing that your borders are closed.

“You have open borders and every city is seeing those results,” Van Duyne concluded.

“I hear you. Congresswoman, it seems that you are trying to have it both ways by saying that a Democratic administration should have to notify the states, but Republican governors should not have to notify these cities they’re sending migrants to. Beth Van Duyne of Texas, thank you so much,” Blackwell said, trying to end the interview.

“I’m saying immigration is a federal issue and the federal government absolutely needs to do that. It absolutely does,” Van Duyne hit back as CNN cut away.

Watch the full clip above via CNN

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