On 60 Minutes, Steve Bannon denies immigrants' role in building America and says they should “self-deport”

Bannon: “America's built ... on our citizens”

From the September 10 edition of CBS' 60 Minutes:

Video file

CHARLIE ROSE: We interviewed Steve Bannon Wednesday at his home in Washington, which doubles as the headquarters of Breitbart News. The interview was a day after the Trump administration announced it would end DACA, the program that provides legal protection for undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children. President Trump gave Congress six months to sort it out, but Bannon believed the program should be abolished. 

STEVE BANNON: I'm worried about losing the House now because of this -- because of DACA. And my fear is that with this six months down range, if we have another huge -- if this goes all the way down to its logical conclusion, in February and March, it will be a civil war inside the Republican Party that will be every bit as vitriolic as 2013. And to me, doing that in the springboard of primary season for 2018 is extremely unwise. 

ROSE: President made the wrong decision? 

BANNON: I think -- 

ROSE: The president made the wrong decision? You wanted him to go full bore?

BANNON: I think what we have to do is focus on the American citizens. I think we have to focus on American citizens -- 

ROSE: So what would you do with the people who came here as children?

BANNON: I think that you saw the memo, you saw the memo.

ROSE: But just tell me what you would do. That's all I'm asking. What would you do?

BANNON: I think as the work permits -- as the work permits run out, they self-deport. 

ROSE: They self-deport? 

BANNON: Yes. I am absolutely --

ROSE: That's being deported.

BANNON: There's no path to citizenship, no path to a green card, and no amnesty. Amnesty is non-negotiable. 

ROSE: America was, in the eyes of so many people, and it's what people respect America for, it is people have been able to come here, find a place, contribute to the economy. That's what immigration has been in America. And you seem to want to turn it around and stop it. 

BANNON: You couldn't be more dead wrong. America was built on her citizens. 

ROSE: We're all immigrants. 

BANNON: America was built on her -- 

ROSE: Except the Native Americans who were here -- 

BANNON: Don't give me -- this is the thing of the leftist system. Charlie, that's beneath you. America's built on our -- on our citizens.

Previously:

Sen. Durbin blasts Steve Bannon for saying the Catholic church has ulterior motives in defending undocumented immigrants

Jeff Sessions' statement rescinding DACA was packed with bigoted right-wing media lies

Before he joined Trump, Bannon bragged he made Breitbart the home of the “alt-right.” Now he's back.