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NewsNation host Chris Cuomo questioned Democratic California Rep. Ami Bera on Wednesday about his party’s past reluctance to deport illegal immigrant criminals residing in the U.S.

Former President Joe Biden in January 2021 signed an executive order imposing a 100-day moratorium on nearly all deportations before consistently increasing them. When Bera, on “CUOMO,” said he believes Democrats will go along with President Donald Trump’s push to deport violent illegal immigrants, Cuomo responded by asking why they did not previously advocate for similar policies.

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“This is what Trump campaigned on. There are people in the country who aren’t supposed to be here and they are doing violent things and the Democrats have not made their collection and removal a priority,” Cuomo said. “He said he would and now he’s doing it. Do you agree?”

Bera agreed and said he does not believe Democrats will “fight” the Trump administration over the deportation of criminals and individuals with existing deportation orders.

“Well, then why didn’t you do it?” Cuomo followed up.

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Bera did not directly answer Cuomo’s question, instead pivoting to discuss the Laken Riley Act. The House voted to advance the legislation to Trump’s desk on Wednesday, but Bera voted against it.

“The Laken Riley Act, I think a lot of US agree with 90% of that act. We just, again, the presumption of innocence until proven guilty. So just an accusation to go into detention is a little bit worrisome, especially for folks like the DACA kids, the dreamers, others that are here with some legal protections,” Bera said. “That’s why I think you saw some Democrats vote against it, but again the basic premise: if you’re a criminal, if you’re here illegally, if you have deportation orders, okay, that’s what the public voted for. We should support that.”

The Laken Riley Act requires federal immigration authorities to detain illegal migrants who commit theft-related crimes in the United States. It also enables state attorneys general to sue the Department of Homeland Security for damage caused to their residents due to illegal immigration.

“Representative, you know that if you’re in the country illegally and not a citizen, you have the availment of due process, but not the same way you or I do. And it’s not that the law’s provisions were being challenged legally, they were being challenged politically at this point,” Cuomo responded. “And my question to you was if this is so obvious that Democrats won’t push back on it, why didn’t they do it during the Biden administration instead of promoting catch and release and sanctuary cities that are really anathema, the opposite of what’s being done?”

Bera suggested the fact that Biden lost taught Democrats a lesson on how they should regulate illegal immigration.

Cuomo also pressed Democratic New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker on Tuesday about voting against the Laken Riley Act, saying he doesn’t “understand anybody who would vote against that.” Booker said his decision to oppose the legislation was based on the bill’s broader implications beyond deporting criminals.

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