MSNBC Scarborough Country - Transcript

MSNBC Scarborough Country - Transcript

Let me start with you, Congressman.

You passed a bill today. The president may sign it, but it's probably going to be killed in the Senate. Why do people oppose-why do Republicans especially oppose keeping driver's licenses out of the hands of illegal immigrants?

REP. PETE SESSIONS ®, TEXAS: Well, what we did is, we looked at what happened on 9/11, and we looked at the 9/11 Commission report that was very plain and simple, that said, these 19 terrorists had five dozen different driver's licenses between them, five dozen different driver's licenses that they used as gateways not only to gain access onto airplanes, but also to certify themselves, anybody that needed a document. And they found a way to plan.

SCARBOROUGH: Right. And that's what we have talked about, Pete. And that makes such common sense. I will ask it again. Why are Republicans, as well as Democrats, but why are Republicans in the Senate against this commonsense measure?

SESSIONS: Well, I think public opinion is going to have a lot to say about that, Joe.

We're following up on what the commission report said. We have fair and balanced opportunities to talk about this in the bill. I think it's going to make it through. But I am disappointed if I find out that members of the Senate are not even going to look at the nexus or the gateway, which is a driver's license.

SCARBOROUGH: Professor, there are arguments that some people like you believe that actually giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants will make America safer. Tell me why.

HINOJOSA: Well, this is really the let's stick our head in the sand and pretend we are safer act of Congress.

The reality of it is that this act will preclude what we were trying to do in California, which is to say, if an undocumented worker that is paying taxes and is willing to identify themselves to authorities, it would preclude California from doing that in the way that it suggested to be done, that it would raise the bar on what an undocumented worker has to do background checks on.

HINOJOSA: All we are doing with this bill is pushing people further underground, creating 10 million people in the underground economy, in the underground that will never come forward.

SCARBOROUGH: A good point, Professor, but I want to ask you, though, what do you say to people that say, you know what, these people got here illegally; they broke the law; why should we give them driver's licenses?

HINOJOSA: Well, look, the issue is that we have an immigration policy that is broken in this country. We need these undocumented workers throughout the economy.

SCARBOROUGH: How is that? How is it broken?

HINOJOSA: Let's create a legal forum for them to come in. And let's also create a legal forum for them to get documented. The driver's license is only a good thing for our road safety. It's a good thing to-background checks for people that are going to apply for that. That should be a separate issue.

SCARBOROUGH: All right, Congressman, what do you say to that?

HINOJOSA: Congress should spend some time...

SCARBOROUGH: Are you driving illegal immigrants even further underground? A lot of people-it makes common sense.

SESSIONS: You know, when we get to an immigration bill, that's where I think the professor would have a standing to be able to talk about how we deal with undocumented workers.
We are talking about people who have come to this country illegally. We have a terrorist problem. We have seen what happened in 9/11. We are picking up on exactly what the commission said is the problem. We have got to make sure that people who have access to airplanes, trains, all these sorts of avenues, that potentially is a problem, that we know who people are. They were here illegally. They are illegal, and illegal people create unlawful acts. We've got make sure the terrorists...

MATTHEWS: Professor, Mohamed Atta used his driver's license to get on board and kill-take part in killing 3,000 Americans.

HINOJOSA: All the more reason what we should be doing is what we were trying to do in California, is raise the bar that people have to go-undergo greater background checks. Undocumented especially would pay for greater background checks in order to get this type of a license.

It only makes more security sense. I think that Congress is playing politics. Let's fix the real problems here, a broken immigration system. Let's not make the rest of the roads and the rest of the economy less welcoming for a legal process for workers that are paying taxes here.

SCARBOROUGH: Congressman, give us a prediction. A lot of Republicans have been angry with their party. They didn't think they would take action. You all have taken action today. Give me a prediction. Will the Senate pass this bill? Will the president sign it?

SESSIONS: I think they will. I think the president is going to sign it.

We were told this would be on a must-pass piece of legislation. We negotiated very carefully. Jim Sensenbrenner did a wonderful job. It was balanced. It makes sense. I think, when it comes to the Senate, the Senate will agree with us. We need to make sure that, where there are failures in the system, that we correct those.

SCARBOROUGH: All right, Professor, quick last word.

HINOJOSA: I think that what we really need to do is create a legalization process in this country that, if we are needing workers, they should be able to come forth to authorities. And we have created in the long term, based on the economic needs of the country, and not confuse terrorism with the need for legal workers providing value for everybody in this country.

SCARBOROUGH: All right, Professor Hinojosa and Congressman Pete Sessions, great to have you here tonight. Both of you made some great points.

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