Tillerson: DACA and Other Programs Have Sent the Wrong Signal to Mexico

‘I acknowledge the challenge we have before us’

RUSH EXCERPT: 
TILLERSON: "Senator, I really appreciate you bringing it back to the western hemisphere. And I say that in all seriousness because I don’t think we should in any way downgrade the western hemisphere but not only central America but South America as well. There are national security issues in this hemisphere also. As to the immigration challenge, and I think you described it well. That what’s happened in the recent time is a real shift in which these people are coming across the border in an illegal fashion. They are largely coming from south of Mexico’s border. I am aware of the northern triangle project trying to strengthen law enforcement because a lot of people are motivated to run from high crime ridden area, anti- narcotic trafficking and strengthening the government institutions and providing a safer environment to the people down there to the extent we can direct assistance programs. Some of this again how do you use not only the special targeted effort and the funds that have been made available there, but other aid programs like the millennial challenge to develop the capabilities of these countries to perform better. And you I spoke about this in your office. Out of our true compassion for people coming across the board. Many accompanied minors, how to deal with that. In response to that challenge, there is well intended action in programs like DACA. And deferred treatment of adjudeication and all well intended and they were translated back to the host country, the places these people are leaving from, we know that it got misinterpreted and even the leaders of those countries spoke in public. Look, the wrong signals are sent down here as a result of the effort to be compassionate and incentizing them to take greater risk to themselves and their children to go across Mexico using illegal smugglers to get them to this country. We have to be very thoughtful about look at the signal and look at Mexico and work with Mexico. It is it a challenge for them. How to to secure their southern porous border and deal with all of the transients in their country to get to the land of the free and home of the brave where everyone wants to be. I acknowledge the challenge we have before us. We’ll have to deal with the situation we have today, the reality of it. And I think this is where it is intent of the president-elect in while he does express it in the view of the wall, but he’s expressing we have to get control of the boarder and prevent and stop the flow of people comes across and how we do that and what policy and how we execute those are yet to be developed. But the State Department would have a big role in the foreign aspect. Once they come across the border they are primarily homeland security’s responsibility. The State Department is what can we do to stop them illegally. We want them to come legally."

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