CNN "Wolf" - Transcript: Interview with Sen. Maize Hirono
Interview
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[13:38:01] BLITZER: More now on the breaking news, the immigration showdown here in the United States. To discuss the president's stunning reversal on family separations at the border to the immigration votes and the House of Representatives that are underway, I want to bring in Hawaii Senator Mazie Hirono. She's a Democrat. She serves on the Senate Armed Services and Judiciary Committees.
Senator, thanks so much for joining us.
REP. MAZIE HIRONO, (D), HAWAII: Aloha.
BLITZER: Let me get your quick reaction, Senator, to the president's executive order to keep detained families together. What do you think?
HIRONO: Well, first let me say that the president's apparent hatred of immigrants causes him to make really bad decisions, such as the Muslim ban that led to chaos at the airports, lawsuits, and now his zero-tolerance policy for border crossers. So yesterday's executive order simply will keep the children together with their parents, but they will still be in detention, apparently, detention facilities which you don't have for indeterminate periods of time. Not to mention the traumatized 2300 children who have already been separated from their parents. His executive order made no reference to it. And from what I'm told, Homeland Security now treats these children as unaccompanied minors. They are now looking for foster people to take care of these kids, even if they have parents. So there's absolutely no effort to reunify these 2,400 traumatized children with their parents.
BLITZER: They have to reunify those kids with their parents as quickly as possible.
HIRONO: Well, DHS is not going to do that. In fact, they're trying to find sponsors for these kids.
BLITZER: The president did just say his goal is to "reunite separated groups," in his words. Let's see if he can do that. He is the president of the United States. He can tell HHS, and he can tell other elements of the U.S. government to do it if that's what he wants to do.
Let me get to these votes that are under way in the House of Representatives. I know you're in the Senate. The House voting today on two immigration bills.
The president cast doubt that either measure would eventually pass. Even if it passed the House, he doubts it would pass the Senate. Let met read to you what he tweeted: "What is the purpose of the House doing good immigration bills when you need nine votes by Democrats in the Senate and the Dems are only looking to destruct, which they feel is good for them in the midterms. The Republicans must get rid of the stupid filibuster rule. It is killing you."
Let me get your thoughts on that, Senator. What's your reaction?
[13:40:35] HIRONO: The president again shows he has no outstanding checks and balances. He just wants the House and Senate to do his bidding and he'll hold anybody hostage for that. As far as I know, the House bills do not go very far in protecting DACA applicants. So he continues to wait. He cannot find a good explanation for his criticisms. He just blames the Democrats, and even though the Republicans, the Trump party, now controls the House, the Senate as well as the presidency. These House bills have done hardly anything to really protect DACA or to create the kind of immigration reform that I would like to see, which is comprehensive immigration reform.
BLITZER: The president, by the way, calls you and your fellow Democrats extremists. You're only interested in one thing, he says, open borders and preventing the Republicans from achieving anything. He used very strong words --
HIRONO: You know what --
BLITZER: -- I don't know if you heard, in his cabinet meeting. HIRONO: You know what my strong reaction to that is? It's a lie.
For the president to constantly say that we are against immigration reform that makes sense, that is humane, it's a lie. In fact, he is the one creating chaos at every turn. He never makes up his mind. We had a DACA bill that he said he would sign that was bipartisan. He didn't sign it at the last minute. We never know where the president is. But one thing he can be counted on is to blame everyone else for the chaos that he creates. He loves to blame Democrats as obstructionists, even if the Democrats don't control the House, Senate or the presidency. Boy, that's how effective he is as president that the two bodies that are his party he can't get what he wants out of them.
BLITZER: Senator Hirono, thank you very much for joining us.
HIRONO: Thank you. Aloha.
BLITZER: Aloha.
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