2020 presidential candidate Julián Castro defended his position to repeal Section 1325 in Title 8 of the U.S. Code, which makes it a misdemeanor for migrants to enter the United States illegally.
Section 1325 was enforced under President Barack Obama’s administration, in which Castro served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
“I think it was a mistake to start enforcing it, even though it had been on the books. However, as you know, John, this administration, the Trump administration, took family separations to a completely different level,” Castro said.
CNN anchor John Berman asked how Castro would respond to people who say he is for open borders, since he wants to get rid of of Section 1325.
“I’m for decriminalizing, not legalizing. There are still civil penalties. People are still part of a court process, people are still subject to the laws of the United States. They still go through a process,” Castro replied.
“Also, open borders is a right-wing talking point. We have 654 miles of fencing. We have thousands of border personnel. We have planes. We have helicopters. We have boats. We have guns. We have security cameras. Nobody has called for open borders. That’s just a right-wing talking point,” he added.
Castro said he does not believe repealing Section 1325 would take away a tool from authorities to deal with the emerging crisis at the southern border.
During the first Democratic primary debate Wednesday, Castro said he also believes in “reproductive justice,” which includes abortions for the transgender community.
