Sunday on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) compared the Supreme Court allowing the enforcement of a new rule that prevents many Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States to the Dred Scott v. Sandford decision in which slaves were not recognized as citizens of the United States and was overturned by the 14th Amendment.
Partial transcript as follows:
BRENNAN: The Trump administration had a victory in the courts this week because, at least temporarily, they’re upholding the ability of the administration to put into place new restrictions on the ability to claim asylum here.
OMAR: I- I believe that decision is morally and legally wrong. Seeking asylum is a legal right that people have and we know that the Supreme Court has been wrong before. They’ve been wrong in the equal but separation doctrine decision, they’ve been wrong in the Dred Scott decision, and so what we now have an opportunity to do as legislators is make sure that we are creating immigration policy that is humane and just.
BRENNAN: Well the Trump administration say they have to go and implement these regulations, that their hands are being tied because Congress just isn’t doing its job.
OMAR: Alright. We certainly in the House have been doing our job since the first day we got there. And–
BRENNAN: So do asylum rights, as you argue, need to be more specifically laid out? Are you working on something like that?
OMAR: Yeah, we are trying to make sure that we fix our broken immigration system. I mean, people have to understand that the immigration crisis that we have is one that we could avoid. And many of the policies that we’ve been advocating for, many that are currently sitting at the doorsteps of Mitch McConnell, will create a positive impact on how our immigration system is carried out.