OK, the headline’s a little over-the-top, but during his town hall Monday night on Fox News, 2020 presidential candidate Bernie Sanders addressed the crisis at the border and said that the United States needs to build more housing along the border and bring in more judges to speed up the processing of asylum claims.
.@BernieSanders pitches government housing for illegal immigrants along the border, gets angry when asked for details: "Not a real question" pic.twitter.com/Vbf5GWTONo
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) April 15, 2019
Not surprisingly, the idea of building more detainment centers (or “housing” — however you like to put it) didn’t fly with his more liberal viewers.
This went out after the town hall:
We don't need to demonize immigrants. We must welcome people who are fleeing violence and pass comprehensive immigration reform. #BernieTownHall
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) April 15, 2019
We must welcome people who are fleeing violence … but what about the people just looking for work? Do we have to welcome them too? Does Sanders plan to welcome them to his new detention centers?
Please elaborate on your idea to build more detainment facilities. https://t.co/1dyHfPJCRf
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 15, 2019
How many more detainment facilities do you plan on building?
— Michael Fox (@mfox11) April 15, 2019
Detained but able to vote Democrat. It actually makes sense.
— Full Metal Lewdness (@RealTributer) April 15, 2019
Stephen, you can’t ask that question. When we ask questions we’re “making it political”.
— Janemarch888 (@Janemarch888) April 15, 2019
Bernie wants to build more detainment facilities for immigrants? Interesting pic.twitter.com/uvi7jO2ker
— Stephen Miller (@redsteeze) April 15, 2019
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If Sanders wants to build nice housing, there are plenty of homeless veterans who’d appreciate it.
The Left isn’t happy:
What on earth is Bernie doing floating more detention centers on the border? Just process people and release them like we’ve always done
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) April 15, 2019
What??? I was not able to watch it… did he actually say this??
— Jodi Jacobson (@jljacobson) April 16, 2019
It was in an exchange on trump talking about releasing people into sanctuary cities. Instead of just rejecting the premise and saying we shouldn’t be locking up people who aren’t dangerous and haven’t committed a crime, he said build nice facilities on the border
— Ryan Grim (@ryangrim) April 16, 2019
Well, that's literally the ONLY reason I had resigned myself for holding my nose and voting for this left-wing trump replica. I have no reason to do so now. That solidifies it for me.
— OUFENIX (D) (@oufenix) April 16, 2019
Asked what to do about "overflowing" detention centers, Bernie Sanders suggests — instead of releasing asylum-seekers — building more "proper facilities" at the border. https://t.co/NWqqzEEYPi
— Charles Я. Davis (@charliearchy) April 16, 2019
Upgraded concentration camps?
— Petra de Asis ? (@petra_deAsis) April 16, 2019
This is unacceptable
— c'estlavie (@cestlavieinus) April 16, 2019
Lord. I want a progressive but maybe let’s nominate one whose views aren’t stuck in 1975?
— Liz Lad (@AndyWarrenStein) April 16, 2019
Bernie just stated on Fox he would build camps at the border. https://t.co/fYYWI3ac3O
— Patricia Ann Kopp ? ???❗️ (@mvgal92691) April 15, 2019
Bernie Sanders says in Fox News town hall U.S. should be "building proper facilities right on the border” to house migrants awaiting hearings, as well as hiring "hundreds of new judges” to process them
— Igor Bobic (@igorbobic) April 15, 2019
Comrade Bernie Wants To Build Concentration Camps !
— Melinda Ficks (@melbuns) April 15, 2019
There is a good answer to this immigration question, which is that anyone who is pending an asylum hearing can be released while they wait for their hearings. We really don't need to be detaining asylum-seekers at all. #BernieTownHall
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) April 15, 2019
It's weird that Bernie didn't suggest that, and instead supported the idea of more detention centers at the border, just nicer ones(!).
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) April 15, 2019
Also: We don't need to rewrite our asylum laws. We do need to undo what the Trump DOJ has done, which is significantly limit the grounds under which someone can apply for asylum. Women who experience gender-based violence and are not safe in their home countries should qualify.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) April 15, 2019
Anyway, these immigration questions are predictable and I'm surprised Bernie isn't stronger on this. Of course it's not just him — most of the Dem candidates are flat-footed on immigration questions. But I would expect Bernie to understand asylum and detention.
— Jill Filipovic (@JillFilipovic) April 15, 2019
If by "weird" you mean "entirely in keeping with his terrible record on issues of race."
— House Snark???♀️ (@kaelaishere) April 15, 2019
There's a reason he moved to lily white Vermont.
— BAJ (@ztikroh) April 16, 2019
Bernie on board with #PrisonsForProfit now!
— dbgggm (@dbgggm) April 16, 2019
Sorry, libs … until Joe Biden jumps in, Sanders is your frontrunner by a long shot.
Related:
'There's your ad'! Martha MacCallum, Bret Baier get Bernie Sanders to admit the ugly truth about his Medicare for All plan https://t.co/Clk6ahEmKe
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) April 15, 2019
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