'How does that work?' GOP lawmaker grilled over plan to quickly snatch up immigrants
Appearing on CNN Friday afternoon, Senator-elect Jim Banks (R-IN) was pressed for how the incoming Donald Trump administration will round up 15 million immigrants, and then proceeded to blow off questions about the horrific impact it could potentially have on families and the economy.
Speaking with CNN host Dana Bash, Banks dismissed reports that a central motivating factor for Trump's win was concerns about the economy, and claimed the ex-president has a overwhelming "mandate" to rid the country of undocumented immigrants.
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According to the Indiana conservative, he expects Trump will make a "quick car ride" to the Oval office after his inauguration and sign paperwork ordering the round-up.
"We are going to begin the process of deporting the over 15 million illegals that have come into this country under Joe Biden's watch," he boasted to which Bash pressed, "First of all, just to better understand what the actual policy is and how it will be executed will be, do you see all undocumented immigrants –– should they all be kicked out of the country?"
"Conservative estimate says there are at least 15 million illegals who have come into the country on Joe Biden's watch," he replied. "It's my hope that we deport every single one of them that we can and it starts with violent criminals who are in the United States who came here illegally who have committed violent crimes, and I think, once you do that, President Trump is committed to making that his first and top priority when it comes to mass deportation."
"And how does that work? That's a huge undertaking," the CNN host asked.
"No doubt about it. President Trump said yesterday that it could be costly, but the American people deserve it," he replied.
"If you just pick Indiana, for example, how do you want the federal government to go about finding people and physically getting them out of the country?" he was asked.
"I don't think it's that complicated," he blithely replied. "I spoke with a local sheriff in Indiana earlier today, local law enforcement is ready to go and do what it takes to help with a mass deportation effort but if you take away the incentives and put pressure on businesses who hire illegals in this country, most of those who are here illegally are going to go back on their own. And that's what Donald Trump and Republicans in the House and Senate are focused on."
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