RCP’s Wegmann to WH: How Will Trump Decide Which Industries Get A “Pass” From Immigration Work Site Enforcement?
RCP’s Phil Wegmann asked Karoline Leavitt at Monday’s White House briefing how President Trump plans to decide which industries will get a “temporary pause for immigration enforcement.” Wegmann asked: “He mentioned farmers, but what about construction workers? Shouldn’t there just be one standard here?” “What I can tell you is that the White House is working closely every day with the Department of Agriculture as well as the Department of Homeland Security, when it comes to worksite enforcement,” Leavitt said.
PHIL WEGMANN, REALCLEARPOLITICS: The president said that he’s working on a temporary pause for immigration enforcement in certain industries. I’m wondering what you can tell us about how he’s determining which industries are deserving of a pass. He mentioned farmers, but what about, say, construction workers? Shouldn’t there just be one standard here? KAROLINE LEAVITT: I don’t have any more details to read out for you, but what I can tell you is that the White House is working closely every day with the Department of Agriculture as well as the Department of Homeland Security, when it comes to worksite enforcement, I’m sorry. And the president’s focus, and the focus of this administration, is of course, to remove public safety threats from the streets and to deport as many of the illegal criminals-especially the violent criminals-that we know are still here because of the previous administration. So that’s the main priority and the goal.
Wegmann also asked about proposed cuts to the office of the Director of National Intelligence. Leavitt said President Trump might not be aware of the bill put forward by Sen. Tom Cotton to reduce that office by 60%.
PHIL WEGMANN: The president has already made cuts to the Office of the Director of Intelligence, but now Senator Tom Cotton has put forward a bill that would cut the office by another 60%. What’s the president’s reaction to that legislation, and is this something that he would support-those additional cuts? KAROLINE LEAVITT: I don’t know if the president’s even aware of that legislation, but I will get you a response if he is aware and if he wants to respond to it.
