Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, appeared Monday morning on CNBC’s Squawk Box to discuss last week’s ICE self-defense shooting and the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement approach.
The interview centered on deportation numbers under recent administrations and how Democratic leaders have responded to immigration enforcement since President Donald Trump returned to office.
During the segment, Squawk Box co-host Joe Kernan questioned Warner about deportation figures under former President Barack Obama compared with those under President Trump.
Kernan noted that Obama deported significantly more people during his presidency than Trump has to date.
Kernan also referenced immigration levels under former President Joe Biden, stating that Biden allowed approximately 12 million illegal aliens to enter the country during his four years in office.
Kernan questioned what had changed politically, asking Warner whether the current debate was driven by electoral considerations.
Warner did not directly answer the question.
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He said that conditions at the border under Biden contributed to Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
He then raised concerns about current immigration enforcement actions, stating that ICE agents were “randomly” detaining individuals who he described as having committed no crimes.
“This is not what Americans voted for,” Warner said during the exchange.
Kernan continued pressing Warner on the discrepancy between Democratic positions on deportations under Obama and current criticism of enforcement under Trump.
He asked how Obama was able to deport millions of people while Warner now objected to ICE operations.
The exchange included the following dialogue:
KERNAN: “I know Trump has sent back 350,000 to 400,000 people. Barack Obama, your guy, it was 5 million over eight years?
What changed? I know Biden let in 12 million. Was it about votes?”
WARNER: “The border being as open as it was under Biden is one of the reasons Trump got elected. But the idea…”
KERNAN: “So, you’re glad it’s closed now?”
WARNER: “Do I think we ought not to have a fully open border? Absolutely!
The question I have is closing the border versus sending out ICE agents across the country to randomly pick people up based on quotas; people who have committed no crime?”
KERNAN: “How did Obama deport 5 million people?”
WARNER: “A lot was done at the border. The point is: I don’t think the American people signed up for this.
You see people who are working; there ought to be a path toward legality…By the way, Joe, ICE used to take five to six months ot get trained. They’ve now lowered the training period for ICE agents to 47 days.
Why 47 days? Because Donald Trump is the 47th President! Tell me that’s not a rational approach.”
KERNAN: “Obviously, I’m not going to take the bait.”
WARNER: “Joe, you can’t pick your facts!”
KERNAN: “Senator, at this point, there are 12 million people who are not supposed to be here. Why was the broder open?
You said, ‘obviously it shouldn’t have been…’ What was the rationale for that?
I’ve seen a lot of your comments, people didn’t vote for this.’ Obviously, Democrats didn’t have an idea of what people voted for, or you wouldn’t have lost the presidency, the seven swing states, the Senate, and the House.”
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