SO, ARE THE IMMIGRATION AND DEPORTATION LAWS BEING INTERPRETED CORRECTLY AND IMPLEMENTED RESPONSIBLY?

JOINING US ON THE TRAPEZE ARE ILLINOIS DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSMAN JONATHAN L. JACKSON AND TEXAS REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN TONY GONZALES.

WELCOME, GENTLEMEN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR HAVING YOU BOTH HERE.

THERE IS A CONSTANT BALANCE BETWEEN THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND KEEPING OUR COUNTRY SAFE AND THE IMMIGRATION DEBATE RIGHT NOW IS FRONT AND CENTER IN THAT LONG-TERM ATTEMPT AT BALANCE.

WE'VE SEEN THROUGHOUT OUR NATION'S HISTORY TIMES WHEN WE'VE GOT IT OUT OF WHACK.

YOU MAY BELIEVE IT IS OUT OF WHACK NOW.

YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING RIGHT, BUT THE QUESTION I'LL START WITH, CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ, I'LL BRING IT TO YOU FIRST.

HOW ARE WE DOING WITH RESPECT TO BALANCING THE RIGHTS BETWEEN THE CIVIL LIBERTIES OF INDIVIDUALS AND PROTECTING OUR COUNTRY WHEN IT COMES TO IMMIGRATION?

>> I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.

WE HAVE TO GET IT RIGHT AND CONGRESS HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IF THIS AND I THINK IT'S AN EVERYDAY CHALLENGE.

I WILL TELL YOU THIS.

I REPRESENT A DISTRICT THAT IS 823 MILES OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER, NEARLY HALF OF THE SOUTHERN BORDER.

TAKES ME 10 HOURS TO GET FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER AND WHAT I'VE SEEN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS IS OUR LIVES HAVE COMPLETELY CHANGED FOR THE POSITIVE.

I THINK FOR MANY AMERICANS, THEY JUST WANT TO BE TREATED FAIRLY, RIGHT?

THEY JUST WANT, YOU KNOW, WE ARE ALL OBEYING THE LAW.

WE ARE STOPPING AT THE STOP SIGN.

WE ARE PAYING OUR TAXES.

YOU KNOW, WE ARE DOING ALL THE THINGS WE NEED TO DO.

SO AT THE END OF THE DAY, AMERICANS JUST WANT TO BE TREATED FAIRLY AND THEY DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE HERE IN THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY TREATED DIFFERENTLY THAN THEY ARE.

NOW IT IS A BALANCING ACT THOUGH, RIGHT?

YOU CAN GO TOO FAR ONE WAY OR YOU CAN GO TOO FAR THE OTHER AND I THINK THAT'S THE KEY.

THE GOAL TO ME, THE REAL GOAL IS TO HAVE CONGRESS, THE BODY CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, LEAD US THROUGH THIS.

>> CONGRESSMAN JACKSON, ANY CONCERNS WITH HOW THIS CURRENT ADMINISTRATION IS ENFORCING THE IS A MAKEUP ARTIST THAT WAS LAW ABIDING.

SO I THINK WHAT THE PRESIDENT HAS DONE IS ABSOLUTELY ATROCIOUS.

THAT THE VIOLENT CRIMES THEY SHOULD BE TARGETED.

THEY SHOULD BE REMOVED BUT PEOPLE ARE COMING HERE TO WORK, THEY WANT TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE THAT HAD TO FLEE BECAUSE CORRUPTION IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY BECAUSE OF DANGER OR BECAUSE OF GANG VIOLENCE.

WE SHOULD BE WELCOMING YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR AND HUDDLED MASSES.

A HUGE ECONOMIC ISSUES THAT AMERICANS HAVE TO FACE ON BRINGING PEOPLE IN HERE TO CONTINUE OUR ADVANTAGE IN SUSTAINED GROWTH.

>> CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ, DO YOU HAVE ANY CONCERNS ABOUT ITSELF DUE PROCESS BEING GIVEN OR LACK OF DUE PROCESS GIVEN AND THE INDIVIDUALS BEING DEPORTED?

MOST ARE GETTING HEARINGS BUT SOME ARE NOT.

ARE YOU CONCERNED WITH THAT.

>> YOU ALWAYS HAVE CONCERNS WITH THAT.

WE ARE A LARGE COUNTRY.

$300 MILLION OF US AND YOU HAVE ALL THE DIFFERENT CASES.

THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS IN POLITICS IS YOU TAKE ONE INSTANT AND YOU TRY TO MAKE IT APPEAR AS IF THAT IS THE NORM.

WHAT I WANT THE NORM TO BE IS FOR RULES TO BE FOLLOWED AND LAWS TO BE IN PLACE.

AND FOR TOO LONG THE NORM HAD BEEN LAWLESSNESS.

ONCE AGAIN I SAW IT ALONG THE BORDER.

FOR MANY AMERICANS, THEY'RE GOING HEY, WHAT ABOUT US?

SOMEHOW WE ARE IN THE BACK OF THE LINE OF ALL THESE THINGS THAT ARE OCCURRING.

NOW THE CITIES ARE INVESTING IN PEOPLE THAT ARE HERE ILLEGALLY AND NOT INVESTING IN OUR HOUSING OR IN OUR JOBS OR OPPORTUNITIES.

SO I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE SOME TIME BEFORE THAT BALANCES OUT.

BUT ONCE AGAIN, IT'S CONGRESS' JOB TO PROVIDE OVERSIGHT AND APPROPRIATING THE FUNDS FOR THAT AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT WE TAKE THAT SERIOUS.

>> CONGRESSMAN JACKSON, YOU MENTIONED PREVIOUS ABOUT AN INDIVIDUAL BEING QUOTE UNQUOTE KIDNAPPED AND SHIPPED OUT OF THE COUNTRY.

WOULD YOU FEEL DIFFERENTLY IF THE INDIVIDUAL WAS TAKEN INTO CUSTODY AND GIVEN A HEARING BEFORE HE WAS SHIPPED OUT?

>> YES.

I WOULD TOTALLY BE FINE WITH A PERSON THAT HAD THE PRIVILEGE TO COME TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND VIOLATED THE SAFETY AND HEALTH OF AN AMERICAN CITIZEN, THEY SHOULD GO.

I WOULD BE TOTALLY FINE WITH THAT BUT WHEN I HEAR ABOUT A MOTHER WHO HAS A CHILD AND THE CHILD IS A LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZEN, THE CHILD HAS CANCER AND THEY HAVE BEEN-- THE CHILD HAS BEEN DEPORTED WITH THE MOTHER, I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THAT.

IT'S SIMPLY A LACK OF COMPASSION.

WHEN YOU HEAR-- WHEN I SEE PEOPLE ROUNDED UP THAT ARE TRYING TO GET MEDICAL SERVICES RIGHT HERE IN THE CITY OF CHICAGO.

WE'VE STOPPED MANY OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE IN THIS POPULATION ARE NOT GOING TO THE HOSPITAL ANYMORE.

THEY ARE NOT PICKING UP THEIR MEDICINE.

THEY'RE BECOMING SICKER.

I DON'T WANT PEOPLE LIVING IN FEAR.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN FEAR, NOTHING GOOD CAN COME FROM THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO SEE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER'S LIFE IN DANGER.

LET'S HAVE A PROCESS WHERE WE BRING PEOPLE OUT, THAT THE PEOPLE ARE HONORABLE, THEY HAVE BEEN PAYING THEIR TAXES AND LET'S GIVE THEM A PATHWAY TO STAY HERE AND NECESSITY WANT GO GO BACK HOME, LET'S ASSIST THEM.

>> THE COMMENTS I HEAR FROM BOTH OF YOU IS COMPASSION IN VARYING DEGREES AND RESPECT FOR DUE PROCESS AND RULE OF LAW.

LET'S TAKE IT TO THE NEXT STEP IF YOU BOTH BELIEVE IN THOSE TENETS, WHICH IS GREAT, WHAT WOULD YOU DO TO CHANGE THE LAWS AND CONGRESSMAN JACKSON, LET'S START WITH YOU.

WOULD YOU TWEAK THE IMMIGRATION LAWS ONE WAY OR THE OTHER TO MAKE IT A BETTER SITUATION?

>> FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT EMPLOYERS HAD TO DOCUMENT PEOPLE AT THAT TIME PEOPLE ARE NOT EXPLOITING THE LABOR.

IF YOU TAKE THE INCENTIVE OUT FROM EMPLOYERS GETTING ALL THE BENEFITS AND THESE PEOPLE HAVING TO LIVE IN THE SHADOWS I'M AGAINST THAT.

IT COULDN'T EXIST IF IT WASN'T PROFITABLE AND IT WOULDN'T BE PROFITABLE IF EMPLOYERS WERE PENALIZED FOR HIRING THAT PEOPLE THAT WERE DOING WORK UNDOCUMENTED.

WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THE UNDERBELLY WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THIS.

THE PEOPLE ARE EXPLOITED AND THE CORPORATIONS ARE MAKING HUGE SUMS, EXTRA FUNDS FOR THAT.

SO MY BIG WAVE OF THE WAND WOULD BE I WOULD HOLD CORPORATIONS RESPONSIBLE THAT HAVE UNDOCUMENTED PEOPLE WORKING IN THEM.

THEY'RE EXPLOITING CHILD LABOR, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THESE HUMAN BEINGS.

>> CONGRESSMAN GONZALEZ, YOUR TAKE.

>> YEAH, JOHN, TODAY WE HAD A HEARING, I SIT ON THE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE AND SECRETARY GNOME CAME BEFORE THE COMMITTEE AND LAST YEAR I SENT A LETTER TO ICE AND I ASKED ICE HOW MANY CONVICTED CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS ARE LOOSE IN THE COUNTRY.

THE NUMBER I GOT BACK WAS ASTONISHING, 662,566, A NUDGE NUMBER.

I ASKED THE SECRETARY HAS THE NUMBER INCREASED OR DECREASED.

HER ANSWER WAS THE NUMBER OF CONVICTED ILLEGAL ALIENS IN OUR COUNTRY HAS INCREASED SINCE LAST YEAR.

SO TO ME, YOU TACK TACKLE IT, YOU GO ALL IN AFTER THE BAD ACTORS.

I'M TALKING ABOUT SOMEBODY CONVICTED IN A COURT OF LAW.

THAT KEEPS OUR COMMUNITY SAFE WHEREVER YOU ARE AND THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, IF SOMEBODY IS COMING LEER TO WORK, I THINK YOU OPEN UP WORK VISAS.

YOU STREAMLINE PROCESS.

THEY DON'T HAVE ACCESS TO VOTING OR SOCIAL SERVICES.

THEY HAVE ACCESS TO A JOB AND GUESS WHAT I THINK THAT THRIVES IN OUR ECONOMY.

I THINK THAT HELPS OUR NEIGHBORS.

I THINK IT DOES A LOT OF DIFFERENT THINGS BUT THOSE ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS.

IF YOU ARE A CONVICTED CRIMINAL ALIEN, WE ARE COMING AFTER YOU TO KEEP OUR STREETS SAFE.

IF YOU ARE HERE TO WORK, YOU KNOW, COME ON DOWN.

>> QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU BOTH VERY BRIEF ANSWER IF YOU WILL, PLEASE.

AND THAT IS IN ORDER TO EXPEDITE AND ENSURE THAT DUE PROCESS IS BEING GIVEN TO EVERYONE, EVEN IF THEY'RE HERE ILLEGALLY, WOULD YOU BE OKAY WITH INCREASING EXES POE NENGSLY THE NUMBER OF IMMIGRATION JUDGES AVAILABLE TO HEAR THE CASES?

>> THAT IS EXACTLY THE SECRET SAUCE.

DURING PREVIOUS-- EVERY ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE THIS, PRESIDENT BUSH, CLINTON, OBAMA, BIDEN FAILED TO DO IT BUT TRUMP 1 AND THAT'S, THEY HAVE THESE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS.

ONE OF THEM, THEY HAD WAS CALLED THE PACER PROGRAM.

AND WHAT THIS DOES IS IT SURGES IMMIGRATION JUDGES AND PEOPLE GET THEIR CASES HEARD IN DAYS NOT YEARS MUCH THAT'S EXACTLY HOW YOU SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

>> CONGRESSMAN JACKSON QUICKLY.

>> MAKE SURE THAT THERE ARE MORE JUDGES THAT YOU CAN DEAL WITH IT AND EVERYONE SHOULD BE AFFORDED DUE PROCESS OF THE LAW.

I WANT TO SEE EACH HUMAN BEING RESPECTED AND WE CAN DO THIS IN AN ORDERLY PROCESS.

Mr. TRUMP SAYS EVERYTHING IS AN EMERGENCY, FROM TARIFFS TO BORDERS TO SOCIAL SECURITY, IT'S NOT.

HE IS THE ONE THAT IS BREAKING THINGS AND THEN DECIDING THAT HE HAS TO HAVE THESE DRACONIAN AND DRASTIC MEASURES TO STOP PEOPLE AND LET US STOP THE RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT GOD AWFUL PRISON IN EL SALVADOR.

WE CAN DEAL WITH THIS DOMESTICALLY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO SHIP PEOPLE TO RWANDA OR EL SALVADOR.

IT'S WRONG.

>> THANK YOU CONGRESSMEN.

BOTH OF YOU, A WONDERFUL CONVERSATION.

IT SEEMS LIKE THERE IS COMMONALITIES HERE AND WE APPRECIATE THAT.