>> THE ISSUE OF IMMIGRATION REFORM HAS EXPLODED IN THE U.S.
WITH A CRUSH OF MIGRANTS ENTERING AT THE SOUTHWEST
BORDER. SECURING THE BORDER IS THE MOST
IMPORTANT ISSUE, ACCORDING TO REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS, BUT
THIS WEEK, THE BIPARTISAN DEAL THAT INCLUDED AID TO UKRAINE AND
ISRAEL PAIRED WITH IMMIGRATION REFORM MEASURES COLLAPSED IN THE
U.S. SENATE. AMONG LEADING REPUBLICANS
OPPOSED TO THE FOREIGN AID BORDER SECURITY PACKAGE,
WISCONSIN U.S. SENATOR RON JOHNSON, WHO JOINS US NOW.
SENATOR, THANKS THANK YOU VERY >> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME ON.
>> WHAT IS YOUR OPPOSITION TO THE BIPARTISAN BORDER SECURITY
DEAL THAT IS NOW EFFECTIVELY DEAD?
>> IT MADE MATTERS WORSE. LET ME EXPLAIN THAT.
WHEN WE WENT INTO THESE NEGOTIATIONS, WHICH I DON'T
THINK EVER SHOULD HAVE BEEN SECRET, SHOULD HAVE BEEN PUBLIC,
WHAT WE WERE ASKING FOR IS LET'S USE THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S
DESIRE FOR UKRAINE FUNDING AS LEVERAGE TO FORCE PRESIDENT
BIDEN TO SECURE THE BORDER. HE OPENED IT UP.
HE WANTS AN OPEN BORDER. HIS DEMOCRATIC COLLEAGUES IN
CONGRESS WANT AN OPEN BORDER, AND I DON'T BELIEVE THEY'RE
NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH, BUT WE WEREN'T LOOKING FOR A MASSIVE
IMMIGRATION BILL. WE WERE JUST LOOKING FOR SIMPLE
METRICS. FUNDS SPECIFICALLY TO BENCHMARKS
THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO MEET TO HAVE THE MONEY FLOW, AND I THINK
WE WERE ALL SHOCKED AT WHAT WAS PRODUCED, BUT AGAIN, MANY, MANY
PROBLEMS WITH THIS BILL, BUT THE BIGGEST ONE WAS PRESIDENTS
ALREADY HAVE THE POWER TO SECURE THE BORDER.
TRUMP DID IT. BIDEN USED THAT SAME AUTHORITY
TO OPEN UP THE BORDER. HE HAS THE EXECUTIVE AUTHORITY.
HE HAS REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS, THAT IF THE COURTS INTERVENE,
THAT WE'LL DO ANYTHING WE CAN TO PASS MEASURES TO OVERRULE THOSE
COURTS. THIS BILL, BY CREATING
DISCRETIONARY AUTHORITY TO STOP PROCESSING ASYLUM CLAIMS AT
4,000, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN YOU'RE SAYING THE PRESIDENT
REALLY DOESN'T HAVE THAT AUTHORITY BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO
CODIFY THAT DISCRETION AND THAT ABILITY WOULD RUN OUT AFTER
THREE YEARS. SO YOU WOULD ACTUALLY HAMPR A
FUTURE PRESIDENT'S ABILITY TO SECURE THE BORDER BEFORE
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE A DAY ON AVERAGE WOULD COME INTO THE
BORDER. AND BY THE WAY, THIS WOULD
NORMALIZE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE A DAY, WHICH IS JUST SIMPLY
UNACCEPTABLE. NOTHING IN THIS RECORD?
>> NOT IN THIS CASE, NO, BECAUSE IT WOULD ACTUALLY TAKE AWAY
PRESIDENTIAL AUTHORITY FROM A PRESIDENT WHO WANTS TO SECURE
THE BORDER, IT WOULD CODIFY OPEN BORDER POLICIES OF THIS
ADMINISTRATION. SO, AGAIN, I'M SORRY TO SAY
THAT. WOULD NOT ONLY VOTE FOR IT, I
WOULD PROMOTE A BILL THAT WOULD SECURE THE BORDER AND PROVIDE
SUPPORT TO THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE, BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT WE GOT.
>> CAN THERE BE NO NEGOTIATION? >> WELL, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN A
PRETTY SIMPLE NEGOTIATION. THE PRESIDENT NOW REALIZES,
BECAUSE MAYOR ADAMS, THE MAYOR OF CHICAGO, ARE TALKING ABOUT
THE FRACTION OF THE 6 MILLION PEOPLE THAT BIDEN ADMINISTRATION
LET IN TO DESTROY THE CITIES, SO NOW THAT YOU'RE FINDING OUT FROM
THE STANDPOINT OF POLITICS, WE BETTER DO SOMETHING.
SO NOW WE'RE SAYING THEY WANT TO SECURE THE BORDER.
WE'RE HAPPY TO WORK WITH THEM. IT'S NOT ABOUT PROVIDING
BILLIONS OF DOLLARS FOR SANCTUARY CITIES.
IT'S NOT ABOUT PROVIDING MORE LEVELS OF VISAS AND WORK PERMITS
AND PRETTY WELL LEGALIZING THE ABUSE OF THE PRO AUTHORITY.
THERE'S SO MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS BILL.
BEEFING UP CUSTOMS AND BORDER PATROL SO THEY CAN HANDLE
THOUSANDS A DAY. THE BETTER SOLUTION THERE IS
LET'S BRING IT DOWN TO A TRICKLE.
BORDER, EFFECTIVELY. >> YES, SO WE CAN ESTABLISH AID
LEGAL IMMIGRATION SYSTEM, WHICH IS WHAT I WAS WORKING WITH THE
TRUMP WHITE HOUSE IN 2020. UNFORTUNATELY, HE LOST THE
ELECTION. BORDERS, SET BACK LEGAL
IMMIGRATION REFORM FOR QUITE SOME TIME.
>> WHAT DO YOU SAY TO CRITICS THAT OPPOSITION IS BECAUSE
FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WEIGHED IN AGAINST IT?
>> I COMPLETELY DISAGREE. I CERTAINLY NEVER GOT A CALL.
THIS WASN'T OUR CONCERN. WE LOOKED AT THE ACTUAL
COMPONENTS OF THE BILL, AND SO DID A LOT OF OTHER PEOPLE, TOO.
THE FACT THAT THIS BILL COLLAPSED IN UNDER 24 HOURS
TELLS YOU ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW. SENATOR MURPHY, BUT THE
DEMOCRATS' CHIEF NEGOTIATORS SAID IT'S TO CLOSE TO THE
BORDER. WE HAD A SLIGHT INCREASE IN THE
LIEISAI LIMB STANDARD, YET THATS THE DEMOCRAT NEGOTIATOR.
THIS BILL WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSE THAN DOING NOTHING.
IT WOULD HAVE HARMED A FUTURE PRESIDENT'S ABILITY TO SECURE
THE BORDER. THAT'S WHY WE HAD TO REJECT IT.
>> MEANWHILE, WE ARE HERE NOW AND YOU DID NOT VOTE TO ADVANCE
A NOW SEPARATE FUNDING BILL FOR EMERGENCY FOREIGN AID.
WHY NOT? >> WELL, FIRST OF ALL, OUR TOP
PRIORITY SHOULD BE TO SECURE OUR OWN BORDER BEFORE WE SPEND MONER
NATION'S. POINT.
BUT I'VE GOT REAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE UKRAINE WAR.
THE ONLY WAY THIS THING ENDS IS IN A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT.
EVERY DAY THAT GOES BY, I'M GOING TO HATE THE SETTLEMENT,
BUT EVER DAY THAT GOES BY, THE MORE UKRAINIANS DIE, MORE
RUSSIANS DIE. I TAKE NO JOY IN THAT.
THESE ARE PEOPLE THAT WERE YANKED OUT OF VILLAGES.
MORE PEOPLE GET DESTROYED. WHAT OUR ACTIONS OUGHT TO BE
DIRECTED TOWARD IS BRINGING PUTIN TO THE NEGOTIATING TABLE
RATHER THAN FUELING THE FLAMES OF WAR, A BLOOD STALEMATE TO THE
TUNE OF $60 BILLION. SO, AGAIN, I HAVE A FUNDAMENTAL
DISAGREEMENT WITH PEOPLE ON IT TO FUEL THOSE FLAMES.
>> SO, AGAIN, YOU OPPOSE GIVING THIS EMERGENCY AID TO UKRAINE?
>> CERTAINLY WITHOUT SECURING OUR BORDER FIRST, YES.
>> SPEAKING OF THE BORDER, MIGRANTS ARE RELOCATING TO
CITIES, AS YOU KNOW, BUT INCLUDING THE SMALL CITY HERE IN
WISCONSIN OF WHITEWATER, WHITEWATER IS ASKING THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT FOR FINANCIAL HELP. WHAT IS YOUR MESSAGE TO
WHITEWATER OFFICIALS SEEKING THAT ASSISTANCE?
>> I MET WITH THOSE OFFICIALS. I'M COMPLETELY SYMPATHETIC WITH
THE PLIGHT THEY ARE IN CAUSED BY PRESIDENT BIDEN AND HIS DEMOCRAT
ALLIES IN CONGRESS, THEIR OPEN BORDER POLICY.
IF THERE'S FEDERAL FUNDS CAN BE FLOWING TO MAKE UP FOR THEIR
LOSSES, IT SHOULD COME OUT OF OTHER SPENDING.
I WOULD SUGGEST TO SOME DEGREE ENERGY BOONDOGGLES THE $400
BILLION THAT ARE GOING TO COST 1.2 TRILLION, RE-PURPOSE THOSE
FUNDS. FUNDS.