Jim Jordan: 80 Percent of Immigrants Aren’t Actually Legitimate Asylum Seekers


BRENNAN: We turn now to Ohio Republican Congressman Jim Jordan. He's a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus. He's just outside Columbus this morning.

Congressman, thank you for joining us.

REP. JIM JORDAN (R), OHIO: You bet. Good to be with you.

BRENNAN: Thank you. How should Americans view those fleeing across the border? Should they view them as victims or as criminals?

JORDAN: I think we should -- America's the most welcoming country on the planet. But you got to follow the law.

And Secretary Nielsen has been real clear. You show up to a port of entry, your family will be kept together, you will go through the process, and we will see if you're actually a legitimate asylum seeker.

What I do know is, when ICE was in our office just a week-and-a-half ago, they told me 80 percent of the folks seeking asylum wind up not getting it, they are not actually eligible for it.

So, we want to sort that all that, do it in a way that is consistent with the law

(CROSSTALK)

BRENNAN: Well, the administration also has narrowed the definition for claiming asylum as well. You can no longer claim you're a victim of gang violence.

JORDAN: This is 80 percent, 80.

This is straight from the folks at Immigration and Customs Enforcement. So they're telling me the number; 80 percent aren't actually legitimate asylum seekers. We need to sort that out.

But, yes, we want to welcome folks who come here for legitimate reasons. We want to do it by the rule of law, who follow the law. We want to welcome them here.

But, mostly, what we want to do, Margaret, is the mandate from the 2016 election was real clear. The American people made Donald Trump president, made Republicans the majority in the House and the Senate to build the border security wall, stop chain migration, end the sanctuary city policy, reform our asylum laws, get rid of the visa lottery, and then also deal with the DACA population.

That legislation, which was consistent with that mandate and the promise we made to the American people, was on the floor just three days ago, and fell a few votes short of passing. Got 193 votes. That's the focus that we should be...

(CROSSTALK)

BRENNAN: Well, it failed.

JORDAN: That should be our focus. And that should be the legislation that should be passed in House.

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