2020 presidential hopeful Michael Bennet said that the candidates who want to decriminalize illegal border crossings are out of touch with the American people during his appearance on The View Thursday.
Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro became the first candidate to support the removal of Section 1325, a statute that makes crossing the border illegally a federal misdemeanor. The question of should it be overturned was asked during the first presidential debate, only Bennet and front-runner Joe Biden, who didn’t answer at the time, have come out against the proposition.
“Really quickly, at last month’s debate, you were actually one of only two candidates, though, who did not raise your hand when asked if you would decriminalize crossing the border illegally,” Meghan McCain said. “Do you think fellow candidates are out of step with the American public on this?”
“I do. I learned something from John McCain, if I might say so, who was a border senator. He and Jeff Flake were on the Gang of Eight, and I know what’s required for Republicans in the center of the country or on the border to be able to sell immigration reform in this country, and one of those things is a secure border,” Bennet answered. “That should be true for Democrats as well. Democrats want a secure border as well. We just want a commitment to our rule of law, and a commitment to our history as a nation of immigrants.”
McCain then responded by saying the Colorado senator was “winning me over.”
