On Tuesday’s broadcast of CNN’s “The Source,” host Kaitlan Collins stated that it’s “off the topic” to mention how people abuse the asylum system when talking about asylum seekers getting healthcare benefits at issue in the government shutdown.
Sen. Tim Sheehy (R-MT) said, “Now, they’re saying, we’re not going to allow you to let the government function. So, unless you give us $1.5 trillion in money for programs that the American people have largely now said that they’re no longer interested in supporting, to include health care for non-citizens, illegal immigrants, healthcare expansion programs for other countries, in some cases, on an export basis, unless you give us $1.5 trillion for that, we’re going to keep the government closed. That’s not negotiating in good faith.”
Collins responded, “Okay, but — well, it’s not for people who are here illegally. It’s people who have different legal status, people who are seeking asylum, refugees.”
Sheehy then said, “Yeah, but saying noncitizens is accurate, though.”
Collins countered, “You said people who are here illegally.”
Sheehy responded, “Some of those people would be considered here illegally.”
Later, Sheehy said, “[A] lot of people come under asylum, claim asylum, which are not actually asylum seekers, that system has been abused by fives of millions, tens of millions, potentially people.”
Collins responded, “But that’s a legal process. You can change the law if you don’t like it. But my point is, they’re not people who have crossed the border illegally.”
Sheehy countered, “But if they abused the process and lied about it, that’s illegal. If they have falsely claimed asylum status, been given asylum status during an administration that chose to voluntarily –.”
Collins then stated, “Okay, you’re getting off the topic. My point is, people who are DACA recipients, temporary protected status refugees, these are the people who get — who qualify for that.”
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