Presumptive 2020 Democrat presidential nominee Joe Biden says deportations from the United States for illegal aliens should be halted during the Chinese coronavirus crisis.
During an interview with CBS 4 News, Biden said he would halt deportations of illegal aliens during the coronavirus crisis, keeping thousands in the U.S. despite final orders for removal by federal immigration judges.
Biden also suggested the U.S. reverse President Trump’s existing policy that swiftly removes border crossers — many of which have tested positive for coronavirus — and flys them home to their native countries.
The exchange went as follows:
JIM DEFEDE: With regard to immigration, you said you would suspend, place a moratorium on deportations for the first 100 days for anyone in the country illegally. Do you still hold to that and why do you believe that’s a good idea? [Emphasis added]
JOE BIDEN: Because we have to straighten things out. Anyone that’s committed a felony in the meantime would be deported, but we have to take time to take stock of exactly what’s going on, who’s where, what the truth is, and what’s going on at the border. And that’s the thing we should be doing now. [Emphasis added]
You’ve never seen a time where someone seeking asylum has to seek it from another country. You’ve never seen a circumstance where we put people in cages. We have to take stock of where we are. [Emphasis added]
Last month, Biden said he would not deport any illegal aliens from the U.S. who test positive for coronavirus, as Breitbart News reported. Biden said:
There are certain things you cannot deport an undocumented alien for, an undocumented person for. And [coronavirus] would be one of them. It’s in the interest of everyone … they will not, should not under any circumstances be held accountable and be deported for that purpose, period.
Trump’s border policy has effectively closed the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders to migration, returning at least 7,000 migrants to their native countries as of April 7.
Data from Guatemalan officials have shown how critical quick deportations are to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the U.S. On deportation flights, Guatemalan officials have said that about 50 to 75 percent of all migrants deported from the U.S. to Guatemala have tested positive for coronavirus.
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter at @JxhnBinder.
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