Watch: Cruz Catches Obama Official In False Claim, Forces Her To Admit He’s ‘Absolutely Right’
Cruz asked Saldaña how many “criminal illegal aliens” the Obama administration released in 2013.
James Beattie July 22, 2015 at 2:15pm
At a hearing scrutinizing President Obama’s enforcement of federal immigration policy Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, was involved in a heated exchange with Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Sarah Saldaña about the number of criminal illegal immigrants released by the administration.
Cruz asked Saldaña how many “criminal illegal aliens” the Obama administration released in 2013. “In [2014] It was a little over 30,000,” Saldaña answered. The Texas senator then asked: “How many murderers?” Saldaña did not know the specific answer, but said 121,000 were released who “committed crimes afterwards,” pledging to provide Cruz and the committee the exact numbers at a later time.
The Republican presidential candidate then asked Saldaña “How many rapists” and “How many drug dealers” were released by the administration. The ICE official did not know the specifics, though she did say her agency was working on information on the latter “right now.”
Cruz continued his pointed line of questioning. “Yesterday, how many murderers did the Obama administration release?” he asked.
“Now senator, I don’t know the answer to that question,” Saldaña replied. The senator later told the ICE director how many criminal illegal immigrants were released in 2013.
“When I asked you how many criminals ICE released in 2013, you were off by a factor of three,” Cruz said.
You said 30,000 — the correct answer is 104,000. There were 68,000 criminals, criminal illegal aliens, that ICE declined to begin deportation proceedings against despite the fact that [Alabama Republican] Sen. [Jeff] Sessions observed the federal law that you’re holding up there says, ‘They shall be deported,’ the Obama administration refused to deport them. That’s 68,000. In addition to that, there were 36,000 in deportation proceedings with criminal convictions that the Obama administration released.
“Sir those numbers – I’m looking straight at them – you asked me I thought about 2014,” answered Saldaña. “That is 30,558. The good news is at least that went down from 2013 when it was 36,007.”
“But you’re omitting the 68,000 criminal illegal aliens that ICE did not begin deportation proceedings against at all,” Cruz replied. “You’ve got to add both of those together — it’s over 100,000.”
“Yes sir, that’s absolutely right,” Saldaña conceded. “All done pursuant to the statute that this Congress has outlined.”
Cruz asked Saldaña if ICE supported Kate’s Law, a bill that would impose a mandatory five-year prison sentence on any illegal immigrant who re-enters the U.S. after being deported. The bill is named for Kate Steinle, allegedly murdered earlier this month by an illegal immigrant who had been deported on multiple occasions. Steinle’s father, Jim Steinle, testified at the same hearing.
“I sure would like to look at that, I haven’t had a chance to. I’m not sure when it was introduced if it has been,” Saldaña said. Cruz noted the bill was introduced last week.
She replied: “I’m certainly willing to look any proposal along those lines and consider it, and work with you if I find some objection to it.” The Texas senator then excoriated not only Saldaña but the entire Obama administration:
When I asked you how many murderers were released yesterday, you don’t know. There is a reason the American people are upset. If President Obama had the courage of his convictions, he would come and look in the eyes of these men and women who have lost their sons, their daughters, their mothers, their sisters, their brothers and the administration would stop releasing murderers and rapists. It is within your power to follow federal law. And this administration refuses to do so and that is altogether unacceptable.
