The next is a transcript of an interview with Democratic Rep. Henry Cuellar of Texas that aired Sunday, Sept. 18, 2022, on "Face the Nation."
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman Henry Cuellar. He represents a border district in South Texas, and he joins us this morning from Laredo. Congressman, I do know you're feeling strongly about what's occurring in your yard. I'm wondering if each you and your constituents assist busing these migrants up and down the East Coast?
REP. HENRY CUELLAR: Look, you understand, to start with, we'd like options and never theater. By sending off– of us off to New York and Chicago, it does deliver consideration, however I- we wish to focus extra on options on the border. We bought to offer Border Patrol, we bought to offer ICE, Homeland Safety the equipment- you understand, ensuring they've every part the place they will implement the regulation, as a result of if we do not have repercussions on the border, we will proceed getting 8,000 individuals a day. And let me point out another factor, Margaret, you understand, they may get two buses a day in a few of these cities. Only for my hometown in Laredo, we're sending out 21 to 26 buses a day trip of Laredo, simply to offer you an thought of what is occurring right here.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper- understood the amount, however after all, in a few of these locations like Martha's Winery, there aren't even, you understand, migration facilities, and there was no coordination. Is that the half you are objecting to?
REP. CUELLAR: Yeah, look, in any case, the migrants are human beings, and we have got to deal with them like human beings which are getting used as political pawns to get- to get publicity. However on the similar time, you understand, I symbolize a few of the poorest counties alongside the border- within the nation.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. Nicely, I do know you might have shared with us some video of what is occurring in your district, that regulation enforcement officers have shared with you some footage, some video that our viewers are seeing proper now. Is regulation enforcement getting the sources that they want?
REP. CUELLAR: No, look, you understand, the women and men in inexperienced, the women and men from Homeland, they should get the assist. They're good women and men, and what they should do is have two issues. One, they should get extra personnel, and we're including extra personnel within the appropriations invoice. They should get the gear, they should get- but- they should get assist. However crucial factor is that they gotta be capable to implement the repercussions as a result of if you happen to do not enforce--
MARGARET BRENNAN: --What does that imply? What does that imply, repercussions? Are you speaking about the truth that many of those migrants which are being bused are from nations like Venezuela the place the U.S. can not deport them due to diplomatic relations being so strained?
REP. CUELLAR: Look, you understand, proper now we're getting individuals from Saudi Arabia, China, India, Bangladesh, and naturally, Cuba- and Venezuela. There are specific of us, you know- the nations that may not settle for a few of the individuals, you bought to have a look at asylum. However the general public coming in do not apply for asylum. We have got to do, as your subsequent visitor goes to say, Secretary Jeh Johnson–he handled the individuals with respect. However on the finish of the day, he enforced the regulation, and he returned individuals. And one of many issues that this administration shouldn't be doing is that they're showing- he confirmed individuals going and touchdown within the nations in Honduras and El Salvador to indicate that there is repercussions. Margaret, when was the final time you saw- you noticed an image or video of individuals going again. You solely see individuals coming in, and you have to have phrases together with precise enforcement.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Proper. I imply, it is fairly sophisticated. However Title 42 nonetheless is in place. There may be expelling of migrants occurring. It appears like what I hear you saying is you need the White Home or increased degree officers to go and make these public statements. Vice chairman Harris when she was requested about this pointed proper again to individuals along with your job, lawmakers, to go rewrite the legal guidelines and move immigration reform. What truly must be finished, and the way do you reply to that?
REP. CUELLAR: Look, there are sufficient, and with all respect to the VP, there are sufficient legal guidelines on the ebook proper now that may return individuals again. Secretary Johnson, your subsequent visitor, did it the best approach. He handled individuals with dignity, however he returned individuals, and he confirmed photographs of individuals being returned. As a result of proper now, the- the cartels are- are utilizing individuals as a result of they make as an instance $8,000 an individual. In two years with all of the those that have are available, that get away secluded, that is about 4 million people. You multiply that by $8,000 and that reveals you the way a lot these unhealthy guys being enriched on the sake of those human beings.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Nicely, on that time, the Homeland Safety secretary was on this program again in July after these 53 migrants died in essentially the most tragic smuggling incident on this nation. And he stated it's potential, due to how subtle these smugglers have gotten, to bypass U.S. checkpoint generally. Is it that the framing of this dialog is totally improper, that it isn't simply individuals strolling throughout, that it is vitally subtle felony enterprises?
REP. CUELLAR: Look, all people that comes throughout is in some way managed by the- by the unhealthy guys. I imply, individuals simply do not occur to stroll throughout a river or throughout the border, it is all managed by the migrants. Each sector, for instance, alongside the border is managed by some type of cartel throughout. Sure, they're very subtle. Sure, they bought the cash. Sure, they do counterintelligence. What occurred to these 53 migrants, we do not have a checkpoint that is sufficiently big to deal with what we're seeing, so the unhealthy guys have been ready to make use of that checkpoint, as a result of we've not put the sources on that checkpoint like we have to do.
MARGARET BRENNAN: And I do know you've got shared photographs with us of a few of the coyotes, a few of the smugglers who've gotten these trailers stuffed with individuals throughout, however there's interdiction happening. I do know you understand that. What are you saying is required?
REP. CUELLAR: Nicely, what I am saying is, if you happen to have a look at the border patrol sectors in my space, 60% of the Border Patrol brokers are in border processing facilities, that's they're caring for migrants. 10% of them are doing administrative work. That leaves solely 30% of the Border Patrol doing the work, 30%. Subsequently, massive numbers coming in will likely be crossing, and you then even have extra deaths on the market, as a result of there's much less Border Patrol brokers saving– Border Patrol wants assist. Women and men in inexperienced need assistance. No ifs, no buts about that.
MARGARET BRENNAN: Congressman, lastly, you understand, one of many greater issues on this nation proper now could be the economic system and the employee scarcity that now we have. I'm wondering if that is a part of that. In case you have people who find themselves determined for financial alternative coming right here and America wants employees, is not there some technique to make this work for America?
REP. CUELLAR: Completely. I assist a visitor employee plan. I assist a approach that you could, and we handed that from the Home. We're ready for our Senate to get that finished. And I'll inform you that if now we have individuals beneath a visitor employee plan, then Border Patrol's job will likely be finished simpler due to individuals searching for a job will come within the authorized approach, after which Border Patrol can deal with the unhealthy individuals. So, it will assist us on safety. So, we have to make our authorized system work higher.
MARGARET BRENNAN: All proper, Congressman, thanks on your insights.