Republican presidential candidate Texas Senator Ted Cruz said he would seek out and deport all the illegal immigrants in the US and that both fellow candidates Donald Trump and Florida Senator Marco Rubio “would allow those 12 million people to become US citizens” on Monday’s “The O’Reilly Factor” on the Fox News Channel.
Cruz began by stating [relevant remarks begin around 2:30] that the law should be enforced, and illegal immigrants in the US should be deported.
When asked if he would “go look for them” Cruz responded, “Bill, of course you would. That’s what ICE exists for. We have law enforcement that looks for people, who are violating the laws that apprehends them, and deports them.”
When asked if he would send federal law enforcement to the home of someone who overstayed their visa to deport them, Cruz said, “You better believe it.” He later added that he would put a biometric exit/entry system for visas.
After host Bill O’Reilly contended the courts would probably block this plan because of due process, Cruz objected. He further stated, “[T]he biggest difference is that Donald Trump and Marco Rubio and myself, is that both Donald Trump and Marco Rubio would allow those 12 million people to become U.S. citizens. Donald said once he deports them, he’d let them back in as citizens. I will not.” Cruz continued that under existing federal law, illegal immigrants who are deported are not eligible to come back into the US legally, and that Trump’s and Rubio’s positions “aren’t consistent with rule of law.”
Follow Ian Hanchett on Twitter @IanHanchett
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