Steve Bullock on Immigration Democratic Presidential Challenger; MT Governor

Healthcare for immigrant means more border crossers

BULLOCK: We've got 100,000 people showing up at the border right now. If we decriminalize entry, if we give health care to everyone, we'll have multiples of that. Don't take my word: that was President Obama's Homeland Security secretary that said that. The biggest problem right now that we have with immigration, it's Donald Trump. He's using immigration to not only rip apart families, but rip apart this country. We can actually get to the point where we have safe borders, where we have a path to citizenship, where we have opportunities for DREAMers. And you don't have to decriminalize everything. What you have to do is have a president in there with the judgment and the decency to treat someone that comes to the border like one of our own.

Playing into Trumps hands, don't decriminalize

BULLOCK: You are playing into Donald Trump's hands. The challenge isn't that it's a criminal offense to cross the border. The challenge is that Donald Trump is president and using this to rip families apart. A sane immigration system needs a sane leader. And we can do that without decriminalizing and providing health care for everyone. And it's not me saying that, that's Obama's Homeland Security secretary that said you'll cause further problems at the border, not making it better.

WARREN: What you're saying is ignore the law. Laws matter. It matters if we say our law is that we will lock people up who come here, seeking refuge, seeking asylum. That is not a crime. We need to have a sane system that keeps us safe at the border, but does not criminalize the activity of a mother fleeing here for safety.

No wall; no open borders; need immigration reform

BULLOCK: I would not have.

Q: How about when decriminalizing crossing the border?

BULLOCK: You got 100,000 people coming to the border now, you'd have multiples of that if that was the case. You know, I certainly believe in border security, I don't believe we have to build the wall, and I don't believe in open borders. It just underscores also we do need comprehensive immigrat

There are bigger problems than illegal immigration

A: "I wouldn't classify it as bigger than if I'm going to have healthcare tomorrow."

Q: When did your family first arrive in the United States, and how?

A: "I should know that, and I don't know."

Refused to send National Guard troops to the southern border

Public DACA support, also tries private persuasion with GOP

No Guard troops to border without asking state governor

Keep Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)

Safety first; review protocols for Syrian refugees

Protect DREAMers instead of deporting them.

Nearly 800,000 young people eligible for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA)--known as "Dreamers"--played no role in the decision to come here and they have known no other home but the United States.

Already, more than 12,000 Dreamers have lost their protective status and are susceptible to deportation. This is not a theoretical peril, but in fact an immediate and urgent one, because more than 100 young people in our cities and towns are losing their protective status every day. Those numbers will accelerate dramatically without a legislative fix.

We stand with these young American immigrants not only because it is good for our communities and a strong American 21st century economy, but also because it is the right thing for our nation to do. DACA recipients have subjected themselves to extensive background and security checks in order to work and attend college. They are studying at our universities. They are working to support themselves and their families, paying taxes and contributing to their communities in a myriad of ways. In the absence of congressional action providing for a permanent resolution, the termination of DACA puts these young people and their families in peril, and will destabilize our schools, workplaces and communities.

We recognize the complexities and challenges created by this issue, but swift, successful action is needed, action that can build momentum to reassure policymakers that progress on other immigration challenges is possible as well. As a bipartisan coalition of governors, we stand ready to help.