GOP lawmaker repeatedly ducks questions about Trump deporting US citizens to El Salvador
On Sunday morning, Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) was asked three times on CNN about Donald Trump's desire to send U.S. citizens to a maximum security prison in El Salvador only to completely duck answering in each instance.
Appearing "State of the Union" with host Dana Bash, the Republican from Minnesota stuck to his talking points about the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Gracia despite court orders to "facilitate" his return, which led the CNN host to ask about Trump expressing a desire to treat Americans citizens in the same way.
"I want to ask you about another idea that President Trump is floating, he's done so repeatedly, and that's the idea of deporting U.S. citizens convicted of violent crimes to El Salvador," Bash began. "You're not only a lawmaker, you are an attorney: do you think the federal government has any legal authority to do that with American citizens?"
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"I think right now, what he's doing is absolutely legal, which is removing those that do not have legal status in this country that have proven to be the worst of the worst," Emmer replied before veering off and attacking Democrats.
"What about the idea that the White House says that it is looking into whether or not U.S. citizens who are convicted of violent crimes can be imprisoned in El Salvador?" Bash pressed.
"Well, again, what they're focused on and what you and I are focusing on is what's actually happening, which is deporting terrorist cartel members, rapists, murderers, the worst of the worst is exactly what Donald Trump promised during the campaign," he demurred. "And that's why 77 million people elected him to follow through on this promise and that's what they're doing."
"Okay, I just want to give you one more chance to say whether or not you're okay with U.S. citizens, the idea of it, I know it's not happening, but he has actively said more than once that they are looking into it. Would you be okay with that?" Bash asked again.
"Yeah, again, the issue that we're dealing with is, I've got a president who wants to protect U.S. citizens from violence, from crime, having their children, solicited, murdered, et cetera versus Democrats who seem to want to protect illegal aliens in this country for whatever reason."
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