GOP Congressman: All 500,000 DREAMers, '8 Million' Undocumented Immigrants Should Be Deported

GOP Congressman: All 500,000 DREAMers, '8 Million' Undocumented Immigrants Should Be Deported

Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) appeared Friday night on MSNBC's "All In with Chris Hayes" to discuss immigration and the current U.S.-Mexico border crisis.

Hayes tweeted a summary of Brooks' startling comments after the interview aired:

Hayes began the interview seeking clarification on whether Brooks viewed President Barack Obama’s 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) order as “illegitimate,” to which the congressman responded, “Yes I do.” Brooks stated that he supported deporting the 500,000 DREAMers who have benefited from the president’s order, “and more.”

He also addressed the wave of unaccompanied minors who have recently crossed the border into the U.S., saying, “to the Democrats, the border security problem is really a question of where they come up with the money for the welcome mats and the Happy Meals.” Brooks elaborated, “they should not be fed and clothed for years, which apparently is the direction that the president wants to take us. Rather, those children should be taken care of here and very expeditiously reunited with their families back home.”

When pressed by Hayes on the deportation of undocumented immigrants, the Alabama lawmaker said that they are “taking jobs from American citizens” and that he “absolutely” wants to see them deported.

“There are 8 million jobs in America now held by illegal aliens, that’s 8 million job opportunities taken from American citizens,” said Brooks. When Hayes asked the congressman if he “would like to see those 8 million deported,” Brooks answered, “Yeah, if that’s what’s necessary to protect American jobs. Absolutely.”

House Republicans ultimately voted on Friday to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals policy, putting over half a million young people at risk of deportation. HuffPost's Elise Foley points out that the measure has no chance of becoming law as it would face opposition from both the Democratic-led Senate and President Obama.

Watch the interview in the clip above from 4:53 to 8:17 (via MSNBC)

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot