On Wednesday’s CNN Information Central, CNN’s Kate Bolduan gave Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) an unchallenged discussion board to complain in regards to the Trump administration’s ICE raids.
Bolduan started by mentioning together with her visitor the Venezuelan gang member who was simply arrested within the Bronx, main the New York Democrat to quickly complain about border czar Tom Homan speaking up sending ICE brokers into locations like faculties and church buildings.
REP. NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D-NY): Effectively, look, we assist eradicating criminals — those that have a — an lively warrant to be deported — to be arrested and deported. And this has occurred below the Obama administration, it has occurred below the Biden administration, and now below this administration. However let me make it clear — 90 p.c of immigrants wouldn’t have prison information. Solely of the minority that do have prison file principally are for visitors violations. And by way of Mr. (Tom) Homan saying that that is about security and safer communities, let’s be clear. He is speaking about going into faculties, hospitals, church buildings, and different delicate locations.
She additional fretted:
VELASQUEZ: These locations have been thought-about secure havens as a result of we do not need folks to keep away from in search of essential providers. Think about if we face one other pandemic, and persons are so afraid of going to a hospital in search of well being providers. This isn’t the fitting approach to do it. And he’s mistaken. That’s precisely what is going on now. Mother and father are afraid to ship their kids to highschool. Persons are afraid to enter church buildings. Docs are apprehensive about tips on how to defend their sufferers. And folks actually are afraid. Terrorizing the group shouldn’t be public security.
It was not talked about that Homan has particularly talked about sending ICE brokers into such locations to arrest harmful criminals.
Bolduan adopted up by cuing up her Democrat visitor to repeat complaints by those that concern being confronted throughout ICE raids:
BOLDUAN: What are you particularly listening to out of your constituents since these operations have begun to play out? We have heard from the border czar, Tom Homan, saying that their precedence is to first go after criminals — folks with a prison — violent prison previous. We noticed that with that choosing up of that Venezuelan gang member. Are you seeing — are you listening to out of your constituents that others are being caught up in it as properly? What are you listening to from constituents particularly?
VELAZQUEZ: Effectively, they’re terrified. I had a gathering in my workplace in Queens, and persons are asking me, , what assurances we have now about sending the youngsters to the faculties. They’re actually terrified. So, you see, what Trump and his allies are doing, they could body their claims round crime, medication and cartels, however it’s clear that their mass deportation agenda will goal hundreds of thousands of people that haven’t any prison information.
And this isn’t good for this group — the immigrant group. And, by the best way, that is — they’re even arresting Americans just like the Puerto Rican veteran in New Jersey and, then, yesterday, a household in Wisconsin. So that is an try to implement a mass deportation with a complete disregard of the standing of these those that they’re arresting.
As if there have been a necessity for Congress to rein in ICE arrests, the CNN host adopted up: “I feel a key query is, you mentioned that folks need to you for assurances. What are you able to and what can different Democrats in Congress, like, what’s your plan of motion to push again in opposition to this if there’s something you are able to do?”
After the Democrat congresswoman recounted that she has strategized with numerous organizations about tips on how to inform immigrants of their rights, Bolduan wrapped up the section.
Transcript follows:
CNN Information Central
January 29, 2025
8:33 a.m. Japanese
KATE BOLDUAN: I wish to speak about what we all know has performed out simply this week is that this high-ranking member of a Venezuelan gang picked up in New York Metropolis, arrested within the Bronx, wished for a number of critical crimes. That is when the brand new DHS secretary was additionally on the bottom. Look, everybody needs a man like that off the road. How do you place this within the context of, , that could be a good factor, proper? I imply, what do you see in these operations?
CONGRESSWOMAN NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D-NY): Effectively, look, we assist eradicating criminals — those that have a — an lively warrant to be deported — to be arrested and deported. And this has occurred below the Obama administration, it has occurred below the Biden administration, and now below this administration. However let me make it clear — 90 p.c of immigrants wouldn’t have prison information. Solely of the minority that do have prison file principally are for visitors violations. And by way of Mr. (Tom) Homan saying that that is about security and safer communities, let’s be clear. He is speaking about going into faculties, hospitals, church buildings, and different delicate locations.
These locations have been thought-about secure havens as a result of we do not need folks to keep away from in search of essential providers. Think about if we face one other pandemic, and persons are so afraid of going to a hospital in search of well being providers. This isn’t the fitting approach to do it. And he’s mistaken. That’s precisely what is going on now. Mother and father are afraid to ship their kids to highschool. Persons are afraid to enter church buildings. Docs are apprehensive about tips on how to defend their sufferers. And folks actually are afraid. Terrorizing the group shouldn’t be public security.
BOLDUAN: I wished to ask you, what are you particularly listening to out of your constituents since these operations have begun to play out? We have heard from the border czar, Tom Homan, saying that their precedence is to first go after criminals — folks with a prison — violent prison previous. We noticed that with that choosing up of that Venezuelan gang member. Are you seeing — are you listening to out of your constituents that others are being caught up in it as properly? What are you listening to from constituents particularly?
CONGRESSWOMAN VELAZQUEZ: Effectively, they’re terrified. I had a gathering in my workplace in Queens, and persons are asking me, , what assurances we have now about sending the youngsters to the faculties. They’re actually terrified. So, you see, what Trump and his allies are doing, they could body their claims round crime, medication and cartels, however it’s clear that their mass deportation agenda will goal hundreds of thousands of people that haven’t any prison information. And this isn’t good for this group — the immigrant group. And, by the best way, that is — they’re even arresting Americans just like the Puerto Rican veteran in New Jersey and, then, yesterday, a household in Wisconsin. So that is an try to implement a mass deportation with a complete disregard of the standing of these those that they’re arresting.
BOLDUAN: I feel a key query is, you mentioned that folks need to you for assurances. What are you able to and what can different Democrats in Congress, like, what’s your plan of motion to push again in opposition to this if there’s something you are able to do?
CONGRESSWOMAN VELAZQUEZ: Effectively, for as soon as, I — as we speak I’m holding a roundtable with over 70 organizations from my district to strategize as to how can we offer a way of safety for the those that we symbolize and supply the kind of info that may empower these folks to maintain themselves. , everybody on this nation — who’s on this nation has constitutional rights. They’ve the fitting to go earlier than a choose and state their case. And that’s precisely what we intend to do — present info as to what are the rights that they’ve and what are the issues that they will — the actions that they will take to be secure in their very own communities
BOLDUAN: Congresswoman, thanks on your time.
