MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript: Immigration

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Joining us tonight Congressman Raul Grijalva of Arizona who was a member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Congressman, I want to talk about tomorrow`s meeting first with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus with the President.

Obviously, this has to be the focal point of the meeting. There`s been so much attention to this. What do you think needs to be communicated with the President and what is the solution at this point from your vantage point?

REP. RAUL GRIJALVA, (D) ARIZONA: Well, I really believe there is -- the purpose of the meeting is now much more than original. Originally, it was to talk about our recommendations to the President that we had forward to him regarding what he can do with Executive action to move forward on comprehensive immigration reform.

That will be discussed and that`s the vitally important issue that he has constitutional and legal authority to do. The issue of the children at the border, the children that are -- with us in this country right now and being taking care of, that issue and the supplemental that the President requested are tied together unfortunately.

And, you know, Republicans in the House and in the Senate are trying to milk this for as much of political advantage as they can. The solution is simple. Follow the law, extend the protections that are within that law that was passed in Congress in 2008. The Court that have occurred that further protected children, and do so in a way that honors due process, it can be expedited but they cannot be expedited at the fault ...

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GRIJALVA: ... of due process and ignore that.

SCHULTZ: Well, Congressman this seems to be getting lost in the coverage and in the conversation, that the law that was passed in 2008 says that these children have to be processed and put into homes in this country. But -- if you listen to John McCain and it`s almost -- he said, well let`s put on him on a plane and ship him back. Wouldn`t that be a violation of the very law that exists right now?

GRIJALVA: Exactly, you know, they attack President Obama for executive powers, imperial powers that he doesn`t follow the law. And here when there is -- this instance to follow the law and apply that law. He`s accused of following the law, so let`s get rid of the law .

SCHULTZ: Yeah.

GRIJALVA: And start a whole different process which is just to deport. That the only ...

SCHULTZ: Congressman.

GRIJALVA: Yeah

SCHULTZ: Have we seen the birth of a smuggling industry here that has gotten out of control that we don`t know what to do with?

GRIJALVA: We were very successful in Columbia and stopping the routes for drugs, primarily cocaine into this country. Those routes have moved into Central America, these three countries in particular.

And with it also came another profit-making smuggling operation which is people. And it`s the same cartels. It`s the same crime syndicates. That`s where the focus should be which is squeeze our money in this country and treat them like a terrorist and not allow anybody to do business or to launder their money. And make that focus of what we do.

There are -- it`s a billion dollars operations to all those cartels and they`re sophisticated in what they`re doing.

SCHULTZ: But Congressman I don`t hear any Republicans say what you just said.

GRIJALVA: Well, it -- because it doesn`t play to tune that they`re playing out there. They`re trying to rave up people, reinstitute the whole issue of fear, drag that bloody flag of amnesty, the border is not secure, there`s sorts of people coming over, and it`s a consequence, see what political advantage they get in the midterms and going it to 2016.

SCHULTZ: OK.

GRIJALVA: I think the President needs to be firm, CHC, the Hispanic Caucus is going to be firm and protect these children because after all they`re children and there`s a moral and legal imperative that we do that.

SCHULTZ: And finally, Congressman we have seen protesters stop the transportation of these immigrants and your State today which is what we saw a few weeks ago, excuse me, in California.

Where is this going? Could you update us on what happen in Oracle Arizona today?

GRIJALVA: Well, what happen is that, a local sheriff who aspires to be more than a local sheriff decided to tell the groups that are opposed to immigration in that area what was happening and they mothered (ph) a protest. That sheriff`s job is to follow the law and apply the law equally
instead of trying to instigate.

It is sad, the picture is sad, the optics are horrible. This is not what this country is, and, you know, we have to be firm that we`re taking care of children here. And those that engaged or those children need to be dealt with and not simply ignored as we did in Murrieta. And hopefully we`re not going to do that in Oracle or in other parts of country.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Raul Grijalva, I appreciate your time tonight, sir. Thank you so much. We`ll follow that later with the President tomorrow.

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