Sen. Harris: ICE Is No Different than KKK

Harris Thank you Mr ░░░░░░░░ I would like to ░░░░░░░░ your point This is ░░░░░░░░ hearing to determine who ░░░░░░░░ be the next head ░░░░░░░░ ICE And so this ░░░░░░░░ about reviewing the perspectives ░░░░░░░░ qualifications and the experience ░░░░░░░░ the nominee That being ░░░░░░░░ I think Mr Vitellio ░░░░░░░░ would have I pronounced ░░░░░░░░ name correctly VITIELLO Vitiello ░░░░░░░░ Vitello VITIELLO Thank you ░░░░░░░░ I think you would ░░░░░░░░ as a member of ░░░░░░░░ enforcement that law enforcement ░░░░░░░░ speaking and certainly would ░░░░░░░░ the case with ICE ░░░░░░░░ and agents that a ░░░░░░░░ deal of your power ░░░░░░░░ discretionary You have limited ░░░░░░░░ and you make decisions ░░░░░░░░ what you re going ░░░░░░░░ do but you exercise ░░░░░░░░ great deal of discretion ░░░░░░░░ terms of how you ░░░░░░░░ going to use the ░░░░░░░░ resources and how you ░░░░░░░░ going to prioritize them ░░░░░░░░ that I think you ░░░░░░░░ also agree that one ░░░░░░░░ perspective and their bias ░░░░░░░░ they have bias will ░░░░░░░░ their exercise of discretion ░░░░░░░░ terms of the power ░░░░░░░░ have and how it ░░░░░░░░ be used and implemented ░░░░░░░░ I want to return ░░░░░░░░ the question that Senator ░░░░░░░░ asked you about the ░░░░░░░░ you made describing the ░░░░░░░░ Party as liberal cratic ░░░░░░░░ neo Klanist which I ░░░░░░░░ the assumption there was ░░░░░░░░ you were comparing it ░░░░░░░░ the Ku Klux Klan ░░░░░░░░ KKK You said in ░░░░░░░░ to his question you ░░░░░░░░ sorry because the words ░░░░░░░░ offense So would you ░░░░░░░░ be sorry if no ░░░░░░░░ was offended by your ░░░░░░░░ VITIELLO No it was ░░░░░░░░ to do Harris Why ░░░░░░░░ it wrong VITIELLO Because ░░░░░░░░ are offensive words Harris ░░░░░░░░ are they offensive VITIELLO ░░░░░░░░ they have history in ░░░░░░░░ country and I honestly ░░░░░░░░ not mean it that ░░░░░░░░ Harris Please talk about ░░░░░░░░ history What is the ░░░░░░░░ that would then make ░░░░░░░░ words wrong VITIELLO Well ░░░░░░░░ Klan was a what ░░░░░░░░ would call today a ░░░░░░░░ terrorist group Harris Why ░░░░░░░░ would we call them ░░░░░░░░ terrorist group VITIELLO Because ░░░░░░░░ tried to use fear ░░░░░░░░ force to change political ░░░░░░░░ Harris And what was ░░░░░░░░ motivation for the use ░░░░░░░░ fear and force VITIELLO ░░░░░░░░ was based on race ░░░░░░░░ ethnicity Harris Right Are ░░░░░░░░ aware of the perception ░░░░░░░░ many about how the ░░░░░░░░ and the discretion at ░░░░░░░░ is being used to ░░░░░░░░ the laws Do you ░░░░░░░░ any parallels VITIELLO I ░░░░░░░░ not see any parallels ░░░░░░░░ sworn officers and agents ░░░░░░░░ I m talking about ░░░░░░░░ VITIELLO I do not ░░░░░░░░ a parallel between what ░░░░░░░░ constitutionally mandated as it ░░░░░░░░ to enforcing the law ░░░░░░░░ Are you aware that ░░░░░░░░ s a perception VITIELLO ░░░░░░░░ see no perception that ░░░░░░░░ ICE in the same ░░░░░░░░ as the KKK Is ░░░░░░░░ what you re asking ░░░░░░░░ Harris No I m ░░░░░░░░ specific about what I ░░░░░░░░ asking you Are you ░░░░░░░░ of a perception that ░░░░░░░░ way that the discretion ░░░░░░░░ I see no parallel ░░░░░░░░ I m not finished ░░░░░░░░ I see none Harris ░░░░░░░░ m not finished Are ░░░░░░░░ aware there s a ░░░░░░░░ that ICE is administering ░░░░░░░░ power in a way ░░░░░░░░ is causing fear and ░░░░░░░░ particularly among immigrants and ░░░░░░░░ among immigrants coming from ░░░░░░░░ and Central America Are ░░░░░░░░ aware of that perception ░░░░░░░░ I do not see ░░░░░░░░ parallel between the power ░░░░░░░░ the authority that ICE ░░░░░░░░ to do its job ░░░░░░░░ the agents and officers ░░░░░░░░ do it professionally and ░░░░░░░░ with lots of compassion ░░░░░░░░ Sir how can you ░░░░░░░░ the head of the ░░░░░░░░ and be unaware of ░░░░░░░░ your agency is perceived ░░░░░░░░ certain communities VITIELLO There ░░░░░░░░ a lot of perceptions ░░░░░░░░ the media and in ░░░░░░░░ public that are incorrect ░░░░░░░░ the agency Harris But ░░░░░░░░ perception exists would you ░░░░░░░░ Whether or not it ░░░░░░░░ correct And wouldn t ░░░░░░░░ agree then if that ░░░░░░░░ exists there might need ░░░░░░░░ be some work done ░░░░░░░░ correct the perception VITIELLO ░░░░░░░░ do want to advocate ░░░░░░░░ the workforce that the ░░░░░░░░ public safety mission they ░░░░░░░░ to protect the homeland ░░░░░░░░ I think more people ░░░░░░░░ to know how valuable ░░░░░░░░ are to this society ░░░░░░░░ I agree with you ░░░░░░░░ that.”