Vice president pence and members of the task force. Commentsresidents live here on cspan. A conversation about immigration policy amid coronavirus. Camila dechalus of cq roll call. Good morning to you. We want to start with you on the u. S. Mexico border. What is or is not happening when it comes to border enforcement . The Trump Administration announced it was going to close the northern and southern border to nonessential travel. They invoked a statutory law the gave the government ability to turn away essentially not who does not have permission to go through. The ability to turn away asylumseekers, turn away anyone who tries to enter the u. S. Unlawfully, and also turn away unaccompanied minors who had come to the border to seek protection or reunite with family members. Host what are the numbers telling us right now . Illegalwe know about immigration and border crossings . Have those numbers gone down amid the pandemic . Guest customs and Border Protection told reporters that they have seen a drastic decrease in the number of daily Border Apprehensions since they closed the southern border. Before the pandemic they were apprehending around 10,000 individuals daily at the border. Now these numbers have drastically decreased during 4000. Around 4000. Lawmakers have stated that it is unlawful that they havent been expecting unaccompanied accepting unaccompanied minors or asylumseekers. Southern border is closed and they have the ability to turn away people. Enforcementbout efforts in the u. S. Interior . Have those efforts been curtailed . Guest the immigrations and Customs Enforcement has stated they have redirected their efforts to focus on individuals who pose a Public Safety threat. They did walk back statements stating that this is not mean that now there is going to be groups of immigrants who are not going to be targeted during these Immigration Enforcement efforts. They are going to reship their efforts, but a lot of democratic lawmakers say they have seen reports that there still conducting enforcement efforts and putting a lot of people in jeopardy of being exposed to coronavirus, and even their own staff. Host Camila Dechalus is our guest. Topic your calls on this as well. Phone lines split up regionally. If you are in the central time zone it is 202 7488000. Zone,e Mountain Time 202 7488001. Camila dechalus, on the dt aspect, we have heard about of statestates trying to limit the number of people behind bars. Theses happening in detainee facilities for Illegal Immigrants . Ice hasve tried tried to implement several policies to contain an outbreak in their facilities by suspending visitation, requiring attorneys to wear protective. Ear however, every week we have seen an increase in the number of detainees and employees who have tested positive for covid19. As of yesterday, 19 detainees tested positive and over 70 ice employees. How every week the number of people that have been tested positive for covid19 has gone up. A lot of advocacy groups are concerned that this is not going to go away over a matter of days. Democratic lawmakers released a thatr yesterday stating ice and dhs officials told lawmakers they do not have a contingency plan in place to treat detainees who have tested positive for covid19 if local hospitals become overwhelmed. That the acluing and other groups have been seeing in the past few weeks. Of detaineeselease who are most vulnerable to covid19. Stated thathe aclu more than 50 detainees have been released. Forthcoming in stating that they have identified this week nearly 600 detainees who are vulnerable. As a result it has released more than one hundred 60 detainees due to the coronavirus pandemic. Guest where are they released to . Into the u. S. . U. S. Interior . We dont have casebycase data. Some of theted that detainees who have been released due to these lawsuits have been reunited with family members so they can protect their own health and safety. Host one way that members of congress have brought attention to the issue of detainee treatment in the past has been to tour these facilities themselves. Are members of Congress Allowed to do Something Like that right now . Guest no. Right now, ice is trying to limit the amount of people coming in and out. Way, every week lawmakers are sending letters to eyes, to Trump Administration officials request more information about what policies are in place. To ensure the wellbeing and safety of detainees who may be vulnerable to covid19. Is a lot of seeing effort on the parts of democratic lawmakers and on advocacy groups to File Lawsuits or requesting information from officials about what they are doing. Host Camila Dechalus is our desk. Taking your phone calls. Eastern or central u. S. , 202 7488000 mount and or pacific. Egions, 202 7488001 if you live in a border state we have a separate line for you, 202 7488002 is that number. Caller this is not to criticize the young lady. Years four eight previous years, the headlines that hit the main street media, we have had a president whose platform was border security. He has been fought by the democrats for three and a half years and now democratic governors are pointing their finger at our president. American whodiots cannot see with this president has been trying to do, cant see that this is a globalist attack on our economy and on our president . If you attack america through the idiocy of americans, they cant figure it out. The sensationalism of it is not to be treated lightly, this is an attack on a president who has said for three and a half years, protect your border. Host that is alan with his thoughts. This is tracy out of amarillo, texas. Caller i just dont think we should let anymore bric geez or whatever come to the united states. Refugees or whatever come to the united states. We cant take care of them and then they want disability. How are they going to get disability if they make more than me . That is not right. If they have got the virus should not be allowed and send countryk to their own and let them take care of them. They are not our problem. Dechalus, for these immigrants who have been tested positive with coronavirus, do we know when they are treated who pays for that treatment . Issues,hen they have confirming that detainees test positive, they have stated that trainees are receiving medical treatment. They have been isolated from other detainees. They havent gone into detail about who is paying for and that money is coming from. That important to note detainees are not be the only ones testing positive. Ands also ice employees customs and Border Protection employees. Customs and Border Protection stated earlier this week that more than 160 of their employees have also tested positive for covid19. Withis not just a problem what is happening to detainees but also highlights a very big issue of how employees are working at these agencies vulnerable to being exposed to covid19. Host do they have protective gear . That they has stated are doing everything in their power. They were implementing protocol to ensure the safety of their employees. That is still unclear. Whether that is giving them supplies that they need for requiring them to wear things in order to protect them. Host jonathan, lakeland, florida. Caller i have a friend from italy and she is here on a visitor visa. Is Homeland Security going to waive the Expiration Date on her visa because of Flight Cancellations . Its crazy. The government, you cant even get in touch with the government agency. Inc. You. Host Camila Dechalus. 18, u. S. Ds march has announced they have closed field offices and have continued to postpone when theyre going to open field offices. As of right now, it is unclear when they will open. Other people applying for visas, it just takes they have been recommending for people to do different processes. It depends on what the individuals cases. Ony have issued guidance waiving requirements. I know they have postponed certain asylum appointments. They have had to reschedule. On a casebycase basis how they pieces orto process respond to delays. Fort worth, texas. Yes. R i was calling to say that we in this state of texas need these people across the border because we supply a lot of food to this country. Those people are the only one that will work our fields to do it. And our orchards. I believe that we need these people every day to be able to come across the board. Legally or illegally. They are needed here. They were invited to begin with. Camila dechalus, on Seasonal Workers. To notet is important that even though the Trump Administration has announced they are going to turn away everyone who comes to the u. S. Unlawfully, they have also stated that they are allowing individuals and immigrants who have permission to come to the u. S. , whether they are on a visa to come into the u. S. They are still working on providing more guidance. That has been a very important to note. Onse immigrants who are these visas do have permission to come to the u. S. And they have the right documentation. When is the crucial time for Seasonal Workers in this country . Guest it really does vary depending on industry. Especially when you have industry in the summers. Industry in maryland. It really does depend. They dont just give you visas on a certain time. , but they try to allocate them. They are to feed the needs of u. S. Citizens who rely on these Seasonal Workers to help businesses during their seasonal time. Host stay in texas, san antonio. This is mark. Caller i just had a comment for the reporter. It almost seems like you are disgusted that the fact that our president is keeping aliens out of the country. Can you comment on that . Host how long have you been covering this topic . Guest i have been covering the department of Homeland Security for at least three years. Throughout these three years i have seen, especially since last werer, when apprehensions stealing more than 100 thousand, i have seen how the Trump Administration has designed policies to deter emigrants. You hear all different perspectives. You hear from emigrants who are being impacted and from democrats and lawmakers and republicans who are, trying to issue legislation and order to help solve what is going on at the border. This is not just a democratic issue. You also have a lot of republicans that are trying to solve what is going on. Show theseust to different perspectives on this issue. It is not onesided. Host this issue came up recently at one of the task force briefings. Secretary of Homeland Security chad wolf discussing detainee policy amid the pandemic. The current contingency plan in Ice Detention Centers where cases of covid19 are already popping up . . S there a contingency plan would you released released the most Vulnerable People . Ice looks at a casebycase basis and looking at certain detention facilities. When we do that, put them on alternatives to detention as well. In the case of covid, we are looking at vulnerable populations. Ice is doing that in conjunction with cdc with in some cases, do need to do that for the safety of those detainees. That is a casebycase basis. We are not going to make any blanket statement that we are going to release individuals. A casebycase basis, determining the health of that particular population or detainee. The facility therein. Different facilities have different capabilities. We are certainly doing that. Homeland security secretary chad wolf. One of the topics he brought up there, alternatives to detention. What did he mean when he was talking about that . Guest alternatives to detention is a program where an immigrant can be released from an ice facility. When there are released, they are stealing staying with family members. It does not mean they can go about and continue going to the community and they dont have to checkin. They are under a rigorous policy where they have to do call check have to do ins, have to do visitations to ensure they are meeting certain requirements. Alternative to detention was another option that the government can have what they dont have to put an immigrant in a detention facility. It is just another way of where a lot of democrats feel it is not as expensive as keeping them in a detention facility. It also gives them more flexibility in terms of being in the community but also having them constantly checkin. That is essentially what the program is. 15 minutes left with Camila Dechalus. You can call in and ask a question. This is ned out of idaho. Caller good morning. Issues, but i think is sad is what this current climaten is just, refugees coming up from the central part of the world to the north. Themis been happening with coming over from north africa to europe. A vital part of our economy, especially here in my state. Our entire dairy industry would collapse if we do not rely on the migrant laborers. I think they are great people. I wish i could hire more of them. You in that industry and do you hire Migrant Workers . Guest i am a plumbing contractor and we have got plenty of work here. You know, nobody can find help in any industry. But, you know, he will have to eventually get it worked out. Camilla is,d to ask i think with nobody talks about his, what isorts the honest situation with what is happening in mexico . Exact, honest situation with that country . Thatme extent he will hear it is 90 controlled by the cartels. It is essentially becoming a noted state, similar to quite syria, but and i think that is where a lot of reporting youre not getting the actual host we will take the question, ned. Really hard to report overall have the country is doing. You have to look at different parts of the country. Especially where the Trump Administration have been scenting sending back migrants. There is a policy called the remain in mexico policy forces migrants to wait in mexico for a time whileunt of their cases are being adjudicated. What we have been hearing from attorneys working with these migrants and from act from advocacy groups is that they have seen that in cities like juarez they have been finding that the rate of people that have been assaulted or kidnapped that are a part of this program has been high because cartels and other individuals are targeting these migrants. Targeting them for extortion. Ast we have seen is that trump has been rolling out these immigration policies, the Mexican Government has been trying to work with the administration. It is hard to say overall how the state is doing. We know that in some areas where migrants have cities have been inundated with migrants that they have seen a spike in crime. Host the best numbers available from John Hopkins Universitys dashboard has mexico with about 3000 confirmed cases of coronavirus. 141 deaths attributed to it. Renee is in fresno, california. Caller good morning. I know we are all trying to get through this. Healthy and happy, eventually. I had a comment related to one of the callers that i called and was spewing all of the horrible things that the demonized democrats have done. That is the reason why we have this problem on the border. God knows they are ringing bugs in here with them. I have just about had it with all of this. I find the intersection of health and olive takes and politics to be changing. We just learned about the Africanamerican Community being completely separated as far as patients and not being treated the way i dont know. I think the resources are going to the wrong areas. I think race is an incredible play. Through the acts of what the republicans have done in these decades, we are finding rooted a lotdeep of these Racial Disparities and economic disparities i think we are starting to peel back the onion and see what is really going on. My main focus today, with a question of you is, how can we try to promote positive attitudes right now for these migrants . For the refugees that are trying to come in here and get a better life for themselves . How can we make sure their health is taking as seriously as ours is . I am not talking about the illegals, god forbid. The illegals are dealt with in a different system. Im talking about people who are trying to appeal for asylum and so forth. We get the point, we want to let Camila Dechalus jump in. Guest lawmakers on both sides are very passionate about how we and integrate a lot of these immigrants who are coming to the u. S. Of those things that has been influential has been more people talking to the senatorsatives or representing their states about these issues. Whenf the things we saw the coronavirus outbreak first that a lote u. S. Was of immigrants are very scared or felt intimidated to seek medical or getnt for covid19 tested for it because they thought that because of the public charge role it may way may weigh negatively on them. They would not negatively charge or penalize immigrants who are seeking this type of treatment. With the government taking a more responsive approach in addressing a lot of these concerns, that lawmakers have brought up, has been different in seeking more clarity on how immigrants can move forward during this pandemic and get the treatment they need. Host he talk about people talking to the lawmakers. When it comes to this next stimulus response bill, we dont know when it will be passed, but has there been any effort to include parts of that bill that are directed specifically to immigrants . Guest there has. Right now there is a lot of talk over whether an topic undocumented immigrants will receive some kind of financial compensation if they have lost their job due to the coronavirus pandemic. Everything is still being worked out, but i have heard conversations from democrats and advocacy groups that are trying to push for these provisions that would provide financial compensation or four immigrants who may be in this country unlawfully or have different kinds of visas that allow them to be in the u. S. To provide them financial compensation if they have been negatively impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Host a couple of comments on social media. In, needot who wrote strong borders, especially during this crisis. York caller said people at the borders did not bring the border here. Americans traveling to see the world brought the virus back. All legal chapel or so. Eagle travelers. In bradenton, florida. Good morning. Caller good morning. Virus is so whole scary. My friend has it, she works in a hospital. This whole pandemic thing, how is mexico doing . How is their hospitals getting prepared for this . Are they scared . Behink mexicans should allowed in the u. S. I like cheap labor, you know . Numbers fromed the the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus dashboard. Aboutnumbers have at just 3000 confirmed cases in mexico and about an hundred 41 deaths so far. You want to add anything to that in terms of mexicos response . They have been working with the Trump Administration runningin regards to more protection for the residents. Especially when they have seen the numbers escalate. Especially when the Trump Administration has rolled out its policy of closing down the southern border, they have stated that migrants who try to come to the u. S. At the southern border, they are working with the Mexican Government to see if they can take in these migrants. It is still unclear how they are theying this pandemic, but are in close communication with the Trump Administration. Especially when congress is still trying to come to the border. More callsple of with Camila Dechalus. Good morning. Caller thank you for taking my question. Undocumented, and those that are here, quote unquote illegal, i guess, and all of those trying to be legal. Is important that we understand that these problems have been here already. There are many people here from other countries, expressly in the and many others southern hemisphere, who are being affected by this. The question is, many of these immigrants are here because they pick our areas and our vegetables and put them on our table. Farmers will not be paying 20 an hour to an american war more to pick strawberries and fruits. The problem is even more sinister than that with regards to immigrants getting medical care. No mystery that the trump organization, from its beginning, has demonized the immigrant community in so many ways. First, coming down during the campaign, he said, mexico is only sending murderers and drug dealers. Since then, there has been an assault on the immigrant community, in addition to minorities in particular. By asking africanamericans, what do you have to lose . There is so many things going on with this presidency that are just not right. Many people in this country know it. Even republicans know it. We go live to the white house now where President Trump is about to brief reporters on the coronavirus. Joining him will be mike pence. President trump thank you very much. Thank you. This is a holy week where religious believers across the nation will observe passover. Of jewish families begin passover at sundown tonight. A sacred, unbroken tradition that traces back to the ancient land of egypt. On sunday, we celebrate our beautiful, wonderful easter
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