At a White House press briefing, Border Czar Tom Homan defended deporting three U.S. citizen children deported along with their illegal immigrant mothers.
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00:00This is a question for Mr. Homan.
00:02Late last week, there were three U.S. citizen children who were removed with their mothers who were in the United States illegally.
00:09There have been a federal judge in Louisiana who was appointed by President Trump said that he was concerned that there was, quote, no meaningful process.
00:17Are you concerned that due process, at least for the U.S. citizen children, is being flouted and that the speed at which the enforcement is being done could lead to errors, as was the case in the Kilmar-Abrego Garcia case?
00:32And then also, if you could give an update on the deportation numbers under this administration and whether you're pleased with them.
00:37First of all, I don't accept the term error in Abrego Garcia.
00:42There was an oversight.
00:44There was a withholding order.
00:46But things have changed.
00:47The facts around the withholding order has changed.
00:49He is now a terrorist, wishing the withholding order is set aside.
00:52And the gang he was fearing from being removed to El Salvador no longer exists.
00:55So the facts around that case are totally different.
00:57I'll let the lawyers litigate that.
00:59But as far as the U.S. 3-0-C kids, I'd say from day one that if you enter this country legally, it's a crime.
01:05If you remain in this country legally and you ignore a judge's order about deporting, if you choose to have a U.S. citizen child knowing you're in this country legally, you put yourself in that position.
01:16You put your family in that position.
01:19What we did is remove children with their mothers who requested their children to depart with them.
01:23This was a parental decision.
01:25Parenting 101.
01:28The mothers made that choice.
01:29And I tell you what, if we didn't do it, the story today would be the Trump administration separating families again.
01:34No, we're keeping families together.
01:36So when a parent says, I want my two-year-old baby to go with me, we made that happen.
01:42They weren't deported.
01:43We don't deport U.S. citizens.
01:45The parents made that decision, not the United States government.
01:47But I don't hear any questions about, Lake and Riley had a mother.
01:52She's never going to see her child again.
01:55Rachel Morin.
01:57She had five children.
01:58You know, those children are never going to see their mom again.
02:01This administration is doing the right thing.
02:03Every public safety threat we arrest from this country and move them.
02:05This country is much safer.
02:07So parents will make the decision what happens to their child.
02:09Having a U.S. citizen child does not make you immune from our laws.
02:15If that's the message we send to the entire world, enter the country legally.
02:18It's a crime.
02:18Don't worry about it.
02:20Get order removed by an immigration judge.
02:22Don't worry about it.
02:23No one's looking for you.
02:24And have a U.S. citizen child and you're immune from our laws, you're never going to fix the border.
02:29People will keep putting themselves in harm's way.
02:31More women will die.
02:33More children will die crossing this border.
02:35We've got to secure a border by enforcing our laws.
02:37We're not making this up.
02:38We're enforcing laws under statute, enacted by Congress, and it's the right thing to do.
02:41Can you give an update on the deportation numbers under this administration?
02:44Can you give an update on the deportation numbers?