MSNBC "The Ed Show" - Transcript

Interview

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SCHULTZ: Illinois Congressman Luis Gutierrez joining us tonight here on THE ED SHOW, certainly scoring high, showing and illustrating absurdity in the immigration laws in Arizona and in this country. Congressman, why is Justin Bieber the face of the immigration debate right now?

GUTIERREZ: Because he`s on my nine-year-old grandson`s iPod. And we did some research into what it is to young people -- because we wanted to make sure that we did this from a generational perspective, too. That`s what they are, right, pop culture.

I use them because, you know, as I look -- I looked at Justin Bieber. I said that`s an American kid, right? He`s from here. And most people might think with the last name of Gomez, this young romantic couple, one might be from one place and the other from another. That`s the absurdity of what it is we do when we assume things about people, even when I do it or you do it, when anyone does it.

And we shouldn`t allow the government to make those kinds of basic -- because when I do it, it`s just something silly, right? But when the government does it, it violates people`s basic fundamental rights. And you know what? You`re a traffic ticket away from a nightmare in Arizona if you`re under some reasonable suspicion that you`re not in this country. It`s wrong and it`s bone headed.

I like to think that when you make fun of something, even something as serious as this, you laugh at it and you bring a new context.

SCHULTZ: And you can learn from it.

GUTIERREZ: You can learn from it.

SCHULTZ: I thought you taught America a great lesson today. Does the Supreme Court`s decision leave Arizona open to new legal challenges on many
respects, in your opinion?

GUTIERREZ: You know, I think it does, Ed. You know that I and others joined an amicus brief. It wasn`t supported when the government argued against the Arizona law. The justices -- I was there in the courtroom.

And when the justices asked is this racial profiling, is this discrimination, they said we aren`t alleging that. We aren`t asking you to revoke the law on that.
But there are others. And I think time is going to be very clearly on the side of fairness and of justice, and to show how ridiculous -- and you know, better yet, Ed, how un-American this law is. And we`re going to challenge it. And we`re going to beat it in court. And if we don`t beat it in court, the same way we beat Pete Wilson and Proposition 187 in the 90s in California, we`re going to beat it by taking back the government in Arizona and putting it in the hands of people who are going to be respectful of our Constitution and of our American values.

SCHULTZ: It certainly opens up the door for law enforcement to make a lot of on the street mistakes that could have some pretty serious ramifications down the road. But not to disappoint you, congressman, we have our own pick the immigrant quiz for you tonight. Eva Mendes or Ryan Gosling, what do you think?

GUTIERREZ: Eva Mendes is the American.

SCHULTZ: Mendes is of Cuban American heritage, but she was born in Miami. You`re exactly right. Gosling was born in Ontario. There`s another one. Here`s for sports fans, Alex Rodriguez or Jason Bay?

GUTIERREZ: Jason bay?

SCHULTZ: All right, A-Rod was born in New York City. Jason Bay is a Canadian. I didn`t think we would stump you. That`s how easy it is and that is the point. And to put a law enforcement official in that untenable position I think is really something we have to think hard about in this country.

GUTIERREZ: You know what, Ed, you`re absolutely right. And one of the -- when you think of the police, you think of their radios, you think of their cars, you think of their guns, you think of their training. But you know what? One of the most important, if not the most important assets that the police have in defending us and protecting us, and serving and protecting us are the eyes and ears of the American people, of the public that`s out there.

You cannot break down that trust. There`s limited resources. And I want the police going after drug dealers, gang bangers, murderers, rapists, bad people, not the Windex wielding lady cleaning some window at midnight at some store.

SCHULTZ: Congressman Luis Gutierrez, good to have you with us on THE ED SHOW.

GUTIERREZ: Thank you so much, Ed.

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