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-- tonight we continue our discussion on how to solve the illegal immigration issue in this country.
From Kansas City tonight Chris come back Kansas secretary of state co author -- -- -- Anti illegal immigration law and not many able laws that are being put forward in this country.
And Washington -- in Iran -- executive director of the national immigration forum.
Here in the studio with me in New York tonight -- pork margins junior.
An attorney who serves as counsel -- business interest affected by immigration laws and also.
A former General Counsel to senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson good to have you with us thank you well let's start with our -- First -- all the news that this administration is going through launch.
A new round of initiatives.
On immigration law reform in this country.
-- you.
You know what excites me that -- doing something but I would say this they had did.
Actually put a qualifier -- there and I said we have so much work and we don't have enough money and therefore we've got to use discretion.
So congress has two things that they can do they can either change the law we'll provide more money.
Those were tour of the things they could do your thoughts Chris.
Well you know I think you're referring in part to the administration's announcement.
Of this memo from John Morton director -- And the administration is saying we're gonna broaden all of the areas of prosecutorial discretion meaning.
They're gonna -- if they're gonna have more reasons for not deporting people -- -- this list of 27 factors.
That the administration is considering.
And basically among those factors are the DREAM -- -- mayor called the DREAM Act was this building did not make it through congress that said if you hear -- and -- -- young -- congress.
Yet rejected twice if you come here -- young age.
And you view then wanna go to look college -- the military after you graduate from high school will give you an amnesty that with a DREAM Act failed.
But this memo says.
If those factors apply to you.
We're not gonna deport you are we're unlikely to deport you so it seems like the administration is trying to do through administrative action what they couldn't get -- in congress and that's very troubling.
Paula you're your reaction.
Well this is a power that and executive branches had for years many many administrations in fact you know -- chair current.
Chairman of the judiciary compared -- committee.
Republican Lamar Smith in fact has passed in 1996 for example.
That's -- the administration at that time be allowed to use discretion but the smart thing that's being done here.
Is that prosecutors prosecutors.
Are being told how to do their job in an efficient effective way and what that means is that prosecutors at the end of the day.
They have to prioritize the worst of the worst and not the person who's here whose family is you know in that and armed services so -- very important to to see this memo -- One that is as providing prosecutors.
The ability to do their job and as prosecutors it's their job to enforce the law -- this memo allows them to be much more focused.
I they've always had that discretion this memo read re -- that discretion and bear in mind this political leadership in this administration is the only administration in US history.
That has had a vote of no confidence by ice officials about career agents against the political leadership so.
They've had more than enough discuss our direction from the Obama's tradition and they don't like the guys on the ground don't.
And as black parents are -- -- Well I mean I think what what the problem here is that ice officers have finally seen that there are leadership and John Morton and secretary -- -- Are going to be using resources effectively and efficiently and making sure that.
I sovereigns and on the ground have the time in the resources to -- the worst of the worst and that's what this prosecutorial memo does.
And this is and I opinion really really good step is it keeps our country much safer.
How to do you are you're persuaded by -- -- Look I think that if congress doesn't like this of the American people doesn't don't like it and congress does not like it and they need to get off their butts and do something about it.
If it's an issue again of resources -- appropriate more money if it's the law that we don't like than let's fix the law and fix the system to a point where we like it.