Wilkerson Battles Antonio Vargas: You’re Either ‘Legal’ or ‘Illegal’; ‘There’s No Gray Area’

[excerpt MACCALLUM I know ░░░░░░░░ has been an emotional ░░░░░░░░ for both of you ░░░░░░░░ I really want to ░░░░░░░░ you both for being ░░░░░░░░ today Laura first of ░░░░░░░░ let me start with ░░░░░░░░ When you were standing ░░░░░░░░ and you watched these ░░░░░░░░ get signed what went ░░░░░░░░ your mind WILKERSON Relief ░░░░░░░░ are finally going to ░░░░░░░░ someone in there that ░░░░░░░░ to follow current law ░░░░░░░░ uphold the law So ░░░░░░░░ was absolutely a relief ░░░░░░░░ And a start a ░░░░░░░░ MACCALLUM Jose I know ░░░░░░░░ you ve said today ░░░░░░░░ very tough for you ░░░░░░░░ me tell me why ░░░░░░░░ when you look at ░░░░░░░░ fact that that what ░░░░░░░░ is talking about doing ░░░░░░░░ enforcing laws that are ░░░░░░░░ part of the federal ░░░░░░░░ canon of this of ░░░░░░░░ country VARGAS Well first ░░░░░░░░ all thank you for ░░░░░░░░ me I actually met ░░░░░░░░ Wilkerson at the Republican ░░░░░░░░ Convention in Cleveland And ░░░░░░░░ met her and apologize ░░░░░░░░ her about this whole ░░░░░░░░ ordeal that no mother ░░░░░░░░ ever go through I ░░░░░░░░ to say however you ░░░░░░░░ the facts tell us ░░░░░░░░ the vast majority of ░░░░░░░░ people in this country ░░░░░░░░ not criminals To be ░░░░░░░░ this country illegally is ░░░░░░░░ civil offense not a ░░░░░░░░ one The vast majority ░░░░░░░░ us are not murderers ░░░░░░░░ rapists and killers That ░░░░░░░░ man that ended up ░░░░░░░░ know the horrible that ░░░░░░░░ horrible tragedy was committed ░░░░░░░░ an outlier not not ░░░░░░░░ who was part of ░░░░░░░░ norm MACCALLUM I don ░░░░░░░░ I don t think ░░░░░░░░ is suggesting Jose that ░░░░░░░░ everbody who is here ░░░░░░░░ s undocumented is a ░░░░░░░░ that s not what ░░░░░░░░ s about What it ░░░░░░░░ about is enforcing the ░░░░░░░░ that are on the ░░░░░░░░ and what we have ░░░░░░░░ tonight from Paul Ryan ░░░░░░░░ we re going to ░░░░░░░░ more about you know ░░░░░░░░ people because I think ░░░░░░░░ s I would assume ░░░░░░░░ s your biggest concern ░░░░░░░░ is the children like ░░░░░░░░ who were brought here ░░░░░░░░ their families crosstalk VARGAS ░░░░░░░░ the thing though is ░░░░░░░░ the implication of the ░░░░░░░░ that we have been ░░░░░░░░ and how we talk ░░░░░░░░ people right I have ░░░░░░░░ say by the way ░░░░░░░░ s talk about enforcing ░░░░░░░░ laws When are we ░░░░░░░░ to talk about the ░░░░░░░░ employers who actually benefit ░░░░░░░░ exploit undocumented workers in ░░░░░░░░ country I m in ░░░░░░░░ right home to 2 ░░░░░░░░ undocumented people Are we ░░░░░░░░ to talk about the ░░░░░░░░ S employers the American ░░░░░░░░ and how they benefit ░░░░░░░░ us How about Texas ░░░░░░░░ 8 million undocumented people ░░░░░░░░ the state of Texas ░░░░░░░░ construction industry would not ░░░░░░░░ in Texas without undocumented ░░░░░░░░ Are we going to ░░░░░░░░ those laws crosstalk MACCALLUM ░░░░░░░░ I mean I think ░░░░░░░░ are two sides of ░░░░░░░░ story But but but ░░░░░░░░ me ask you you ░░░░░░░░ and Laura let me ░░░░░░░░ you to weigh in ░░░░░░░░ this Because you know ░░░░░░░░ hear what Jose is ░░░░░░░░ in terms of the ░░░░░░░░ who are here you ░░░░░░░░ I assume that you ░░░░░░░░ simply the laws to ░░░░░░░░ followed and that might ░░░░░░░░ to you know fewer ░░░░░░░░ being here Correct And ░░░░░░░░ everyone has to deal ░░░░░░░░ that WILKERSON That s ░░░░░░░░ right And you know ░░░░░░░░ say you ve had ░░░░░░░░ tough day You know ░░░░░░░░ don t know if ░░░░░░░░ understand what a tough ░░░░░░░░ is in the life ░░░░░░░░ a parent who has ░░░░░░░░ a child VARGAS Oh ░░░░░░░░ at the hands of ░░░░░░░░ illegal in this country ░░░░░░░░ one s here to ░░░░░░░░ the vast majority But ░░░░░░░░ are legal or illegal ░░░░░░░░ s one way or ░░░░░░░░ other there is no ░░░░░░░░ area on that You ░░░░░░░░ had plenty of time ░░░░░░░░ this country to get ░░░░░░░░ line come in the ░░░░░░░░ door Your parents brought ░░░░░░░░ here undocumented and that ░░░░░░░░ something that is a ░░░░░░░░ you will have to ░░░░░░░░ for your parents But ░░░░░░░░ have had plenty of ░░░░░░░░ to get in line ░░░░░░░░ we don t have ░░░░░░░░ make any excuses for ░░░░░░░░ that We have to ░░░░░░░░ nothing for the illegal ░░░░░░░░ They need to come ░░░░░░░░ and come through the ░░░░░░░░ door There is a ░░░░░░░░ it needs to be ░░░░░░░░ and enforced.”