CBS "Face the Nation" interviews during 2018: on Immigration

Dan Crenshaw: Build a wall on some parts, but other security along river

REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX-2): What they're using them for is logistical support. They're not there as combat troops stopping people from crossing the border.

Q: They're not actually at the border, right?

CRENSHAW: What's actually happening is they're reinforcing the law enforcement that is there to do their job. The question I always have the Democrats is, do we agree that our borders should be secure, yes or no? I understand you don't like the wall. But can we agree that the border should be secured? And if you have other ideas to secure that border, and especially in Texas we are willing to listen because we have a river along the border. We can't always put a wall there. We get that. We've got other options, as well. So will you work with us?

Deb Haaland: Separating children from parents at the border is appalling

REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT DEB HAALAND (D-NM-1): We actually feel confident about the security of our borders. New Mexico as a whole was appalled when the policy to separate children from their parents happened on the border. It made me immediately think about governmental policies back when my grandmother was a child and she was separated from her family and taken to Indian boarding school. So it seems like at some point, we need to look at our history and stop doing the things that are harmful to our children and work toward finding solutions that are absolutely humane.

Q: You would work with President Trump?

HAALAND: I think we all have to do it together. The Democrats won back the House. We didn't win back the Senate or the presidency yet. So we do have to work across the aisle to make sure that we can get things passed. Yes.

Joe Neguse: Using troops to secure southern border is the wrong approach

REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT DAN CRENSHAW (R-TX-2): There are thousands of thousands of people coming up to the border in a caravan. If it's between letting people across and not letting people cross, we have to secure our border.

Q: He's comfortable using U.S. troops in that way. Are you?

REPRESENTATIVE-ELECT JOE NEGUSE (D-CO-2): No, I think it's the wrong approach. The other option is to follow existing law and let folks go through the asylum process and [attempt to] claim asylum. I say this as the son of refugees. I think immigrants to this country have so much to give and it's important we get this right.

Q: Would you vote for any kind of immigration reform that includes funding for a border wall?

NEGUSE: No, I don't support a wall.

Joni Ernst: Troops on Mexican border is ok, for logistical support

SENATOR JONI ERNST: That's up to the President and those governors that are involved with their National Guard soldiers.

Q: You are on the Armed Services Committee; you have a voice.

ERNST: If they are active duty soldiers it does actually provide them an opportunity for real-life training in their roles. Many of them, if they serve in logistics-type positions they will actually be doing those missions on the border. So it is a very good skill.

Q: They won't even have any contact with people coming across.

ERNST: Exactly, but they will be utilized in the roles like logistics. And then it gives them greater opportunity to respond quickly in those types of situations, whether they are supporting with food or body armor, whatever it might be for Border Patrol agents. It allows those border patrol agents to actually focus on the law enforcement duties.

Lindsey Graham: Change asylum law to not apply to illegal border crossers

GRAHAM: When it comes to changing asylum laws saying that somebody here illegally cannot apply for asylum, I don't know if you can do that by executive order, but I support that policy. Right now people are marching on our border, if they cross illegally then they asked for asylum. Asylum shouldn't be a magnet for illegal immigration. So I support the policy change.

Q: The ACLU suggests that that's actually contravening Congress and established law.

GRAHAM: I might want to get another opinion than the ACLU. But I do believe asylum laws are being abused. They've become magnets for illegal immigration. People cross the border illegally, then apply for asylum. That's not the way asylum is set up to work. I support the policy change. Congress probably should do it, but I am open-minded to the executive order.

Ted Cruz: Use all tools available to stop asylum for migrant caravan

CRUZ: What Obama did repeatedly is his executive orders said "we will defy the law passed by Congress." If an executive order is directing how the executive will behave, then it's constitutional.

Q: So, is this asylum change okay?

CRUZ: The President is charged under federal law with securing the border. This so-called migrant caravan of over 10,000 people marching north, declaring their intention to cross the border illegally-- I told the President just recently, "Under no circumstances should we let them cross; we should use whatever tools are available--whether it is border patrol, or the military--but we shouldn't allow 10,000 to blatantly and deliberately violate the law." There is a right way to come to this country--and that's following the law, waiting in line, and following the rules.

Marco Rubio: Child separation policy at border is simply un-American

(BEGIN VIDEO) TRUMP: They come in illegally and in many cases the children aren't theirs. If they feel there will be separation, they don't come.

(END VIDEO) Q: Is the president making a mistake here?

FLAKE: Yes, he is. We shouldn't bring that policy back. That simply is un-American and I think everybody recognized that. The president seemed to. So I hope that we don't return to that policy.

John Kasich: DREAMers are part of the fabric of America

KASICH: I'm very proud of this group of Republicans who are saying that they're going to do everything they can to get a vote on immigration reform and protecting the DREAMers.

Q: There's a tremendous debate within the party, particularly on this issue of DACA--that a hard stance will win in November. Why do you think that is wrong?

KASICH: Because we have 800,000 people who came to this country as children, they violated no law, they're innocent people who are great contributors. They're part of our fabric. And now we're going to turn around and ship them out? And, you know, everything in life is not about the next election. This is an injustice to these people. And, frankly, the idea that people will stand up against their party or stand up against the president, I respect that.

Marco Rubio: Children are trafficked into US illegally by criminal groups

RUBIO: The ideal scenario is that families be kept together and return expeditiously back to their country of origin. America is the most generous country in the world. And, ideally, you wouldn't put people through additional trauma once they came into the US.

Q: Will you try to change that law?

RUBIO: I would be open to changing that law. But the better law to change is to secure our border and to send a clear message that you cannot continue to enter the US illegally. It is actually inhumane not to secure our border, because we are sending out a message that is encouraging people to come here. A lot of these people that are crossing with children are being trafficked here. They are being brought here by criminal groups that help guide them and often take advantage of them. And the ability to cross that border is a magnet that is drawing this behavior.

Bernie Sanders: The Great Wall was ok in 1600s; not so smart today

SANDERS: The focus right now has got to be to do what the American people want us to do--80% of the American people understand that we have got to restore the legal status that Trump took away from 800,000 young DREAMers--people who came to this country when they are two or three years of age--and we cannot let them be put in a position where they're subjected to deportation. So the main focus to my mind has got to be to make sure that Dreamers have legal status and a path towards citizenship.

Q: What about a deal with a border wall?

SANDERS: The bad part comes is the idea of a wall, which I thought was a great idea in the 15th century when China built the Great Wall. Not so smart today when we have technology that is much more cost effective in terms of protecting the border.