Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo., issued a blunt response to Democrats clutching their pearls over President-elect Donald Trump’s pledge to deport illegal immigrants. He pointed out that Democratic presidents have previously deported millions of illegal aliens.
In an interview on the latest episode of Fox News Sunday, Schmitt stated that former Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama deported approximately 17 million foreign nationals from the country.
Schmitt aimed his remarks at Sen. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., who during a Senate hearing, claimed that deporting illegal aliens involves “higher prices” and “forceful removal of millions of hard-working community members.”
In response to these claims, Schmitt said, “The idea of deporting people who are here illegally is not a new concept. In fact, the policy and the law of the United States of America for 200 years is if you come here illegally you are detained.”
He added, “If you don’t have a valid reason, either by asylum – by the way, 9 out of 10 asylum claims are bogus – then you are deported. That is how we have always operated.”
