CNN's Maria Cardona: “We Should All Be Very Clear ... Donald Trump Has No Idea How Immigration Law Works”

Cardona: “We’re Talking About A Candidate Who Is Clueless On Immigration Policy”

From the August 29 edition of CNN's New Day:

Video file

ALISYN CAMEROTA (CO-HOST): Maria, [Donad Trump] has said that he's going to do this in a humane way. In fact, the word “humane” was used many times this weekend. What is the humane way to deport people? 

​MARIA CARDONA: That is the question, Alisyn. What does that mean, that there will be cushions on the buses, and they'll get milk and cookies on the way to the border? Who knows. I am very curious to see what Donald Trump says in his speech because he has been in a huge conundrum ever since he became this general election candidate when he realized that he needed to get additional support from Hispanic voters, from women, from moderate Republicans. And that is why he supposedly talked about softening his stance, which we​ now see is not really softening his stance. That he's going back to his priority of deporting all of the 11 or 12 million undocumented immigrants. But who knows how he's going to do that.​ You know, one of things that I think we should all be very clear about is that Donald Trump has no idea how immigration law works. ​He talks about enforcing the existing laws, and then he says if people want to get citizenship and get right with the law, they have to go back to their home country, and then we'll bring them back in an expedited way. Guess what. That doesn't exist. If you are here without documents and you go back to your home country, you cannot do anything for the next 10 years. ​So again, we're talking about a candidate who is clueless on immigration policy. He has his finger up in the wind to make sure he doesn't lose hard core supporters who supported him because of his draconian stance. And he wants to try to attract moderates. It's just not going to happen. ​​

CAMEROTA: So, Kayleigh, I see you shaking your head. Can you answer that? What is humane deportation? What would that look like? 

​KAYLEIGH MCENANY: Well first of all, I think it's inhumane the fact we ignore people who are in Mexico, in these Latin American countries who have relatives here who want to come into this country, but they can't do so. They're being displaced essentially by illegal imgrants coming into this country. ​We forget the ​​people waiting to go through the process correctly -- and ​you want to talk about clueless immigration policy, Maria, I'm sorry, but we have to go back to the Obama administration who last year alone, according to ICE, released 20,000 criminals, 200 of which have murder convictions, 800 of which had sexual offenses. That is under this president. Hillary Clinton will continue those policies, and you guys owe an explanation to Kate Steinle’s parents, why a sanctuary city protected an illegal immigrant who ended up killing a beautiful, young girl who deserved a chance at life.

CAMEROTA: Do you want to respond to that, Maria?

CARDONA: Yes I do, because Kayleigh continues to bring up this figure. And the fact of the matter is that under both the George W. Bush administration and the Obama administration, there are some convicted criminals who have been released, but guess why. It is because many of them, most of them, in fact, have actually served their sentence here in the U.S. jails. And in addition, many others have been forced or have been granted release by immigration judges and immigration courts. Additionally, there are various countries -- China, Cuba, Vietnam -- who don't accept deportation, who don't accept removals back to their own home country. So again, cluelessness when it comes to real immigration law, what we are really facing in terms of the solutions that are needed. Yes, we need more coordination between ICE and federal law enforcement and local law enforcement to make sure that criminals aren't out on the street, criminal undocumented immigrants aren't out on the street, but that's not what Donald Trump is talking about. He talks in platitudes, not real solutions. 

Previously:

Sunday Shows Highlight Trump's Incoherence On His Own Immigration Policy

On CBS, Dan Senor Says Donald Trump's Unclear Immigration Stances Show It's Not A “Real Presidential Campaign”

CNN's Maria Cardona Calls Trump Supporter Sheriff Joe Arpaio A “National Disgrace”