Secretary of State Tillerson, Ambassador Haley, and Senators Rubio, Cornyn, and Cardin Discuss Immigration and Refugee Policy and Politics During April 9th Sunday Public Affairs Programs
Sunday, April 9 2017
Click the Play Button, above, to see excerpts of instances in which the subjects of immigration or refugees were discussed during the April 9, 2017, Sunday public affairs programs.
Notwithstanding the dominant coverage of the past week’s cruise missile attack that the United States launched against Syria, there still was plenty of discussion about other subjects during the April 9th Sunday public affairs programs, including a significant number of discussions about immigration and refugees.
Among the guests on this weekend’s programs whose appearances included discussion about immigration or refugees were Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who made his first appearances on the Sunday programs since being confirmed by the Senate and discussed the border wall with Mexico; United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who discussed Syrian refugees; and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), who discussed the wall between the United States and Mexico.
Among the guests on this weekend’s programs whose appearances included discussion about immigration or refugees were Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who made his first appearances on the Sunday programs since being confirmed by the Senate and discussed the border wall with Mexico; United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who discussed Syrian refugees; and Senators John Cornyn (R-TX), Marco Rubio (R-FL), and Ben Cardin (D-MD), who discussed the wall between the United States and Mexico.
ABC - This Week: The headliner guest on the April 9, 2017, edition of ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" program was Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who was making his first appearances on the Sunday programs since being confirmed by the Senate.
Secretary Tillerson commented on the subject of immigration when program host, George Stephanopoulos, asked him if his recent talks with the government of Mexico included talks about President Trump’s pledge that the government of Mexico would pay for the wall that he wants to construct between the United States and Mexico. In response, Secretary Tillerson said that “we had conversation about that issue” but that they have had “very productive talks around actions that can be taken to slow, stem, and discourage transmigration of people coming from Central America through Mexico and entering the united Sates.” Continuing, the Secretary said “the level of immigration illegal crossings from Mexico, whether it is of Mexican nationals, but in particular of Central Americans, has dropped dramatically.” When pressed on why he did not raise the issue of Mexico paying for the construction of he wall, the Secretary said, “its just not part of our discussions between the Foreign Minister and myself.”
Also appearing on the program were Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), House Intelligence Committee Ranking Minority Member Adam Schiff (D-CA), and New York Times columnist Tom Friedman. Representative Schiff did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees during |
his appearance. However, Rubio and Friedman did.
During his appearance, Senator Rubio noted that he had met with the Mexican Foreign Minister during the last week and that the subject of Mexico is not going to pay for the wall.” He added, America should if we believe that’s in our national interests to do so.” The Senator said that Mexico “is willing to be a partner” with the United States in actions that they can work on together. He listed, as an example, working on helping Mexico secure its borders with Central American countries. During his time on the program, Freidman said of the Trump Administration, “all of that crazy rhetoric from the campaign -- you saw it in the paying for the wall in Mexico – that will gradually be muffled out and faded away from.” Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were Republican pollster and ABC News contributor Kristen Soltis Anderson; Democratic pollster Cornell Belcher; and ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, author of the new book “A New Way.” The panel did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees. |
CBS - Face the Nation: The headliner guests on the April 9, 2017, edition of CBS's "Face the Nation" program were Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who made his first appearance on the Sunday programs on Sunday, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ). Neither the Secretary nor the Senator addressed the subjects of immigration or refugees during their appearances.
Also appearing on the program were Tom Donilon, who served as National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama; Fran Townsend, who served as Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush; and Michael Morrell, who served as Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under President Obama. Neither of those guests discussed the subjects of immigration or refugees during their appearances.
Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were The Washington Post’s Ed O’Keefe and Ruth Markus; Michael Duffy, Deputy Managing Editor of Time Magazine; and Ramesh Ponnuru of the National Review. The subjects of immigration and refugees did not come up during the segment.
Also appearing on the program were Tom Donilon, who served as National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama; Fran Townsend, who served as Homeland Security Advisor to President George W. Bush; and Michael Morrell, who served as Acting Director of the Central Intelligence Agency under President Obama. Neither of those guests discussed the subjects of immigration or refugees during their appearances.
Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were The Washington Post’s Ed O’Keefe and Ruth Markus; Michael Duffy, Deputy Managing Editor of Time Magazine; and Ramesh Ponnuru of the National Review. The subjects of immigration and refugees did not come up during the segment.
CNN - State of the Union: The headliner guest on the April 9, 2017, edition of CNN’s “State of the Union” program was United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. Also appearing on the program was Senator Ed Markey.
Senator Markey did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees during his appearance. However, Ambassador Haley did.
During her appearance, When questioned by host Jake Tapper about the dichotomy between President’s Trump expression of compassion for Syrian children and his proposals to bar Syrian refugees from entering the United States. The Ambassador said that President Trump “very much believes in the responsibility of keeping Americans safe.” She said he “challenge his team to prove to me that you can vet properly so that we can keep the American people safe.” She went on to say that the President’s national security team responded that “they couldn’t vet properly, that they didn’t have enough information.” Continuing, she asserted, “you’ve got a president here who is not going to risk American lives” when people cannot be properly vetted.” When pressed about whether she sees Syrian children coming to the United States as security risks, the Ambassador responded, “Syrian children have to come with Syrian adults, and you don’t know.” She went on to point to an example of a |
Syrian refugee living in the United States who, she asserted, has stated that he wants to be able to go back to Syria, saying, “at he end of the day, we need to remember that Syrians don’t want to live somewhere else. They want to be home. They want to be with their loved ones. They want to be with their families.”
Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were Former White House Communications Director Jen Pstaki; Vali Nasr, Dean, Johns Hopkins School for International Studies; former House Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Representative Mike Rogers (R-MI); and former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA). Representatives Rogers and Santorum both commented on the Syrian refugee situation during their appearances. Rogers pointed that 13 million people have been displaced as refugees, with about 5 million being displaced outside of the country. Santorum said that the President is likely to engage Syria more, in part because of the refugee crisis. He said, “all of this ties into, in Trump’s mind, I’m sure, immigration, the problem with radical Islamists either coming to Europe or coming here.” |
FOX - Fox News Sunday: The headliner guest on the April 9, 2017, edition of FOX's "Fox News Sunday" program was National Security Advisor, Lt Gen H.R. McMaster. McMaster did not address immigration or refugee matters in a substantive way.
Also appearing on the program were Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), both of whom briefly addressed immigration in response to questioning about the wall that President Trump has proposed be built between the United States and Mexico. Senator Cornyn insisted that the parties would work out an accommodation that everyone would be happy with and that would keep the government funded. Senator Cardin said that many Republicans he has spoken with oppose funding for the wall but suggested that he was open to a compromise.
Appearing during the program's political pundits segments were Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard; Mo Elleithee, Executive Director of Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service and a Fox News Contributor; Lisa Boothe, Fox News Contributor; and Juan Williams, a Fox News Political Analyst. The panel did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees.
Also appearing on the program were Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Ben Cardin (D-MD), both of whom briefly addressed immigration in response to questioning about the wall that President Trump has proposed be built between the United States and Mexico. Senator Cornyn insisted that the parties would work out an accommodation that everyone would be happy with and that would keep the government funded. Senator Cardin said that many Republicans he has spoken with oppose funding for the wall but suggested that he was open to a compromise.
Appearing during the program's political pundits segments were Bill Kristol of The Weekly Standard; Mo Elleithee, Executive Director of Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service and a Fox News Contributor; Lisa Boothe, Fox News Contributor; and Juan Williams, a Fox News Political Analyst. The panel did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees.
NBC - Meet the Press: The headliner guests on the April 9, 2017, edition of NBC’s “Meet the Press” program were United States Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley. Ambassador Haley defended President Trump’s policy on Syrian refugees, asserting that “I have watched this Administration focus so much on the safety of United States citizens.” She added, the President has said, “prove to me that you are vetting these people properly. And if you are vetting them properly, then we will resume [admitting Syrian refugees].” She said that he President is “putting people’s safety first.”
Also appearing on the program were Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tim Kaine (D-VA). Neither of them addressed the subjects of immigration or refugees.
Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were David Brooks, Columnist, The New York Times; Helene Cooper, Pentagon Correspondent, The New York Times; Danielle Pletka, Senior Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute; and Rich Lowry, Editor, National Review. The panel did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees.
Also appearing on the program were Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Tim Kaine (D-VA). Neither of them addressed the subjects of immigration or refugees.
Appearing during the political roundtable segment of the program were David Brooks, Columnist, The New York Times; Helene Cooper, Pentagon Correspondent, The New York Times; Danielle Pletka, Senior Vice President, Foreign and Defense Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute; and Rich Lowry, Editor, National Review. The panel did not address the subjects of immigration or refugees.