Fox host Jedediah Bila: “I really admire the attempt” by Trump to restrict asylum in new memo

After Bila praises Trump for not seeking comprehensive immigration reform, she says immigration system “needs to be revamped through and through”

From the April 30 edition of Fox News' Fox & Friends:

Video file

STEVE DOOCY (CO-HOST): It is given that that the president of the United States last night at the White House released a memo and the whole idea is he's asking the attorney general and the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to propose regulations within the next three months that would change the way asylum cases are handled. And the reason that asylum cases are so tricky is because it's hard to handle the families. Because when there are children involved, there are different rules. 

JEDEDIAH BILA (GUEST CO-HOST): Yeah. And that memo from the president reads, quote: “Our immigration and asylum system is in crisis as a consequence of the mass migration of aliens across our southern border. The purpose of this memorandum is to strengthen asylum procedures to safeguard our system against rampant abuse of our asylum process.”

BRIAN KILMEADE (CO-HOST): And here's what I love, I love he's not doing comprehensive, because comprehensive doesn't go anywhere, it just helps you politically, perhaps. But this is something to help right away. This is called governing as opposed to politics. Here you go, fees for asylum applicants. I don't know how much cash these men and women have when they cross the border, but they better have some now. 

DOOCY: That's a -- that first one's a problem. 

KILMEADE: I think so. Address all asylum applications within 180 days. I don't know how you do that because we don't have enough judges now. I guess we have to go through a different process. Streamline court proceedings, OK. Prohibit illegal border crossers from receiving work permits. And finally, revoke work authorization for illegal aliens ordered for deportation. So if you want a work visa it doesn't matter your work ethic or how much we have a need in this country, you have to do it the right way. 

BILA: Yeah.

DOOCY: So, but once again, these rules regarding work impact the people who are in the country illegally. There is nothing there to impact the people in this country who hire the people who work illegally in this country. So, in other words, people come across our southern border and they get jobs here. 

BILA: Yeah. I really admire the attempt on the part of the president. I think Brian, as you said before, everyone always talks about comprehensive immigration reform which accomplishes nothing. And this particular -- it does nothing.

KILMEADE: They never vote on it, they never agree. 

BILA: It does nothing. It's a campaign talking point. But this issue of addressing all asylum applications within 180 days I think is super important. But it almost seems like in order to accomplish these goals there needs to be a better infrastructure in place behind this. You need more judges. You need so many things to be happening simultaneously with this, that although it is practical -- some practical measures have been outlined, this whole system needs to be revamped through and through even to make this possible, these measures. 

DOOCY: It's aspirational. Right now there are 800,000 cases pending. The wait time is currently almost two years. And while the White House can put out this memorandum, there's going to be a swift legal challenge and this is going to wind up being litigated in the courts.

Related:

NY Times: Asylum seekers face new restraints under latest Trump orders  

Previously:

Trump Border Patrol official goes on Fox & Friends to appeal for new law to crack down on families crossing the border

Fox & Friends cheers Trump's decision to jail asylum seekers: “It's important to send a message to... Central America: Can't come.”

Fox & Friends rails against laws restricting Trump's attempt to make things harder on asylum-seekers