Sparks fly as GOP senator reacts to Biden advisor's ‘I don’t know’ answer on illegal immigration law
Who's accountable for the results?
A tense exchange unfolded during a Senate Budget Committee hearing Tuesday when Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno pressed a former Biden advisor on whether illegal immigration into the United States should be considered a crime.
"I don't know anything about this law," Brendan Duke, a former senior policy advisor in the Biden White House and now senior director for federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, told Moreno when asked if the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act "made a mistake" prohibiting people from entering the country illegally.
"Do you think it should be a crime to enter the country illegally?" Moreno followed up.
Duke responded, "I don’t know anything about this. I’m here to talk about budgets."
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Moreno continued to press: "Look, I’m not a lawyer, you don’t have to be a lawyer. It's a simple question. Should it be a crime? I'll say it slowly. Should it be a crime to enter the United States of America illegally without permission?"
Duke again said he doesn’t know anything about the specific law, prompting Moreno to ask him if he has a home. Duke said he rents a property.
"Should it be a crime for people to enter your home without permission?" Moreno asked. Duke responded, "Yes."
Moreno pointed out that Duke was "certain" about that response but "not sure" whether it applied to America as a whole before turning his attention to the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
"So this is the best that Democrats can come up with. Mr. Chairman, I hope the ranking member can listen for just a second," Moreno said. "If you don't mind, this is the best witnesses you’ve got? A guy who can't distinguish whether it's OK to have people enter our country illegally? Of all the millions of people that you could have chosen to testify?"
Merkley attempted to interject, and Moreno responded, "Let me finish."
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"The best you have is a guy who has no idea what our immigration law is and isn't sure if somebody should enter the country illegally. Another guy is a smug guy who obviously has an agenda," Moreno said, referencing the previous witness who resisted the same question.
Merkley then urged Moreno to "stick to the facts" instead of "badgering" witnesses.
"Why don't you ask about the actual facts?" Merkley said.
Moreno shot back: "Why don't you do this? Why don't you speak when it's your turn? Oh. Because we actually take …
Who's accountable for the results?
A tense exchange unfolded during a Senate Budget Committee hearing Tuesday when Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno pressed a former Biden advisor on whether illegal immigration into the United States should be considered a crime.
"I don't know anything about this law," Brendan Duke, a former senior policy advisor in the Biden White House and now senior director for federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, told Moreno when asked if the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act "made a mistake" prohibiting people from entering the country illegally.
"Do you think it should be a crime to enter the country illegally?" Moreno followed up.
Duke responded, "I don’t know anything about this. I’m here to talk about budgets."
ICE HOUSTON TOUTS OVER 400 ILLEGAL ALIEN CHILD SEX OFFENDERS ARRESTED DURING TRUMP'S FIRST YEAR BACK IN OFFICE
Moreno continued to press: "Look, I’m not a lawyer, you don’t have to be a lawyer. It's a simple question. Should it be a crime? I'll say it slowly. Should it be a crime to enter the United States of America illegally without permission?"
Duke again said he doesn’t know anything about the specific law, prompting Moreno to ask him if he has a home. Duke said he rents a property.
"Should it be a crime for people to enter your home without permission?" Moreno asked. Duke responded, "Yes."
Moreno pointed out that Duke was "certain" about that response but "not sure" whether it applied to America as a whole before turning his attention to the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
"So this is the best that Democrats can come up with. Mr. Chairman, I hope the ranking member can listen for just a second," Moreno said. "If you don't mind, this is the best witnesses you’ve got? A guy who can't distinguish whether it's OK to have people enter our country illegally? Of all the millions of people that you could have chosen to testify?"
Merkley attempted to interject, and Moreno responded, "Let me finish."
BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER DHS FIRES BACK AT 'FALSE' CLAIMS ABOUT ICE FACILITY
"The best you have is a guy who has no idea what our immigration law is and isn't sure if somebody should enter the country illegally. Another guy is a smug guy who obviously has an agenda," Moreno said, referencing the previous witness who resisted the same question.
Merkley then urged Moreno to "stick to the facts" instead of "badgering" witnesses.
"Why don't you ask about the actual facts?" Merkley said.
Moreno shot back: "Why don't you do this? Why don't you speak when it's your turn? Oh. Because we actually take …
Sparks fly as GOP senator reacts to Biden advisor's ‘I don’t know’ answer on illegal immigration law
Who's accountable for the results?
A tense exchange unfolded during a Senate Budget Committee hearing Tuesday when Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno pressed a former Biden advisor on whether illegal immigration into the United States should be considered a crime.
"I don't know anything about this law," Brendan Duke, a former senior policy advisor in the Biden White House and now senior director for federal budget policy at the Center for American Progress, told Moreno when asked if the 1952 Immigration and Naturalization Act "made a mistake" prohibiting people from entering the country illegally.
"Do you think it should be a crime to enter the country illegally?" Moreno followed up.
Duke responded, "I don’t know anything about this. I’m here to talk about budgets."
ICE HOUSTON TOUTS OVER 400 ILLEGAL ALIEN CHILD SEX OFFENDERS ARRESTED DURING TRUMP'S FIRST YEAR BACK IN OFFICE
Moreno continued to press: "Look, I’m not a lawyer, you don’t have to be a lawyer. It's a simple question. Should it be a crime? I'll say it slowly. Should it be a crime to enter the United States of America illegally without permission?"
Duke again said he doesn’t know anything about the specific law, prompting Moreno to ask him if he has a home. Duke said he rents a property.
"Should it be a crime for people to enter your home without permission?" Moreno asked. Duke responded, "Yes."
Moreno pointed out that Duke was "certain" about that response but "not sure" whether it applied to America as a whole before turning his attention to the committee’s ranking member, Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore.
"So this is the best that Democrats can come up with. Mr. Chairman, I hope the ranking member can listen for just a second," Moreno said. "If you don't mind, this is the best witnesses you’ve got? A guy who can't distinguish whether it's OK to have people enter our country illegally? Of all the millions of people that you could have chosen to testify?"
Merkley attempted to interject, and Moreno responded, "Let me finish."
BIDEN-APPOINTED JUDGE IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER DHS FIRES BACK AT 'FALSE' CLAIMS ABOUT ICE FACILITY
"The best you have is a guy who has no idea what our immigration law is and isn't sure if somebody should enter the country illegally. Another guy is a smug guy who obviously has an agenda," Moreno said, referencing the previous witness who resisted the same question.
Merkley then urged Moreno to "stick to the facts" instead of "badgering" witnesses.
"Why don't you ask about the actual facts?" Merkley said.
Moreno shot back: "Why don't you do this? Why don't you speak when it's your turn? Oh. Because we actually take …
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