MSNBC "The Rachel Maddow Show" - Transcript: Interview with Alex Padilla

Interview

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Joining us the Senator Alex Padilla of California. He is a member of the Budget Committee. He is chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety. He`s one of the key figures pushing for immigration issues to be included in this bill.

Senator Padilla, it`s really nice to see you again. Thanks for being with us.

SEN. ALEX PADILLA (D-CA): Good to see you, Rachel. It`s been a while. But thanks for having me.

MADDOW: Indeed. Well, talk us through what we should understand about this. It does seem like the parliamentarian`s ruling was nobody`s idea of a sure bet. We`ve been assured by Senate leadership by the Senate Democratic leadership there is a plan B, an alternate proposal ready to go back to her.

[21:30:04]

Can you talk us through a little bit how this is going to go?

PADILLA: Sure. And, first and foremost is the parliamentarian`s ruling we learned of last night disappointing? Absolutely. Does it come as a complete shock? No. Because as you know in our business, you hope for the best, prepare for the worst. So, yes, we have been working on alternative proposals in the event we didn`t get a yes to our first proposal.

So, Senator Durbin is right. There is a plan B and if necessary a plan C or whatnot, but the fundamental goals stay the same, out of respect to the millions of immigrants that have been living in the United States for years and years and years.

Rachel, as you know adult undocumented immigrants have been in the United States on average for 18 years, 18 years of working, paying taxes, buying homes, raising families, contributing to the success of our country. They deserve to live without fear of deportation.

And so plan B, plan C, whatever it takes we`ll keep fighting until we get to yes and provide those protections and security for as many people as possible as quickly as possible.

MADDOW: When you say you`ll keep fighting until you get to yes I think I`m trying to understand, a lot of people trying to understand or set reasonable expectations for how this is going to go. I want to ask you about something that reportedly happened today involving Senator Menendez.

Today, Senator Menendez at an immigrants right group held a conference call with reporters where a leader from one immigration advocacy group said nobody gets to hide behind the parliamentarian this year. She is not an elected official. She serves at the pleasure of the majority leader, implying that the parliamentarian if she will never get to yes on this issue that it is Democrats` prerogative to replace her with somebody who views these matters differently.

Is that within the realm of possibility as far as you are concerned?

PADILLA: Look, I don`t think we`re there yet frankly, because we have thoughtful, second proposal, third proposal to get to yes as I mentioned and provide the much deserved, well-earned protections for millions of people in the United States.

So that`s what the task is at hand. We`ve got the answer last night from the parliamentarian on the first proposal we went to her with.

Clearly, the budget reconciliation process and the infrastructure package negotiations are not going be finalized in the next couple days. There is a little bit of time here and we`re very confident that one of the alternative plans that will be presented in the coming days will meet the threshold and the criteria the parliamentarian has laid out.

So, please stay tuned. This in the process but we are not giving up the fight. We know how important this is particularly for my home state of California. I want to make sure I make this point because representative of so many other states.

You know, California is home to more immigrants than any other state in the nation. It seems like it is a different topic, a different audience, different subject matter when people recognize California as the fifth largest economy in the world, right? If immigrants were a drag on the economy that wouldn`t be the case. California has the strongest economy of any state in the nation because of the contributions of immigrants as workers, consumers, and entrepreneurs.

And so, we`ll continue to evolve the presentation to the parliamentarian to recognize if that is just an -- it is not just an economic impact but a federal budget impact at the heart of what the reconciliation process is all about.

MADDOW: Senator Padilla, let me also ask you about an issue right now where the time really is short. That is this question of keeping lights on in the government, keeping the government operating, bumping up against the debt ceiling due to happen within weeks. We are in what appears to be not so much a stand-off as essentially a refusal sort of threat/promise from the Republican side of the aisle that they not only won`t help keep the government funded, they won`t vote to fund the government nor will they vote to raise the debt ceiling, but in fact, they may filibuster on those issues which would not only mean Republicans aren`t helping to do those things, but blocking Democrats from keeping the government going and from defaulting the government from defaulting if we do, are allowed to hit that debt ceiling.

How is that going to resolve? I`m struck by the fact that the Republicans aren`t making any demands, just saying yeah we`re going to hit both of those walls and you can`t do anything about it.

PADILLA: So it sounds like the question is, are we surprised that Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are playing politics with the nation`s economy and the ability for a government to keep functioning when we start the next fiscal year?

[21:35:17]

Are we shocked and surprised that Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans are being obstructionist once again and trying to box Democrats in with their only lens the 2022 election? Of course not.

But we do have some time, ten days or so, have all the confidence in Leader Schumer and Speaker Pelosi for that matter to make sure that we get the agreements done on a timely basis to avoid any damage frankly to American families. Because they`re ultimately the people who get hurt the most if there is another government shutdown as there has been in the past or anything else.

So, we will be responsible and get done what needs to be done. I wouldn`t want to be a Senate Republican that votes by the way against emergency funding for the victims of the hurricane in Louisiana, I would not want to be a Republican that votes against emergency funding for victims of flooding in the Northeast. I certainly wouldn`t want to be a Republican that votes against the necessary urgent funding for victims of wildfires in the west. That is going to be the choice they will have to make.

MADDOW: Senator Alex Padilla of California, on the Budget Committee, chair of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Citizenship and the Border -- sir, thank you for making time to be with us this evening. I know this is a hurly-burly time in the Senate. Thanks for helping us understand.

PADILLA: Thank you, Rachel.

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