WATCH: Rep. Goldman Pushes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to Admit DHS is Violating the Law

Goldman: “...You can’t just decide that you’re not going to follow the law, and asylum is a law, and deport people who have ongoing applications. Unfortunately, that is exactly what’s happening.”

Watch the Video of the Exchange HERE

Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Dan Goldman (NY-10) cross-examined U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem over DHS’s efforts to deport immigrants who are lawfully seeking asylum in the United States. For the past several months, DHS has continuously targeted individuals attending their routine immigration court hearings who are actively pursuing lawful pathways to migrate to the United States.

A rush transcript of Rep. Goldman’s committee remarks are below:

Rep. Goldman: Secretary Noem, let’s talk about the law. Do you agree that asylum is a lawful pathway to immigrate to this country, yes or no?

Secretary Noem: There’s an asylum program, yes in place…

Rep. Goldman: Alright, so immigrants then, with ongoing asylum applications are legally in this country, correct?

Secretary Noem: Excuse me, I’m sorry, your question was?

Rep. Goldman: Immigrants with ongoing asylum applications are legally in this country?

Secretary Noem: There are individuals in this country that have applications, that…

Rep. Goldman: And they are legally here because it’s a lawful pathway right?

Secretary Noem: It’s a lawful pathway.

Rep. Goldman: Ok, so if your department then deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law, correct?

Secretary Noem: Joe Biden left us with…

Rep. Goldman: I’m not asking you about Joe Biden, I’m asking a specific question. If your department deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law, is that correct?

Secretary Noem: It was greatly violated when they allowed…

Rep. Goldman: I’m asking you, I’m asking you.

Secretary Noem: …granted asylum applicants

Rep. Goldman: Why are you filibustering, why can’t you answer the question? It’s a simple question. 

Secretary Noem: Your president and your secretary…

Rep. Goldman: If your department deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law, isn’t that correct?

Secretary Noem: The asylum program was broken under the last administration.

Rep. Goldman: Mr. Chairman, I will reclaim my time. She's not answering the question, but the obvious answer is that, yes, if you follow a lawful pathway - asylum is lawful pathway - if you have an open asylum case, you are here lawfully. But the problem that we are seeing around the country is that you are not following the law. Don’t tell us to change the law, if you don’t like the asylum system, you change the asylum law, bring it to us, we’ll work with you, I think it needs to be changed. But you can’t just decide that you’re not going to follow the law, and asylum is a law, and deport people who have ongoing applications. Unfortunately, that is exactly what’s happening, it’s happening across the street from my office right in New York City. Numerous, thousands, of people who have come to court appearances, have left them with open asylum applications, have been arrested. And then, they’ve been shipped off, and many deported.

You can view the full clip here. 

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