Rep. Dan Goldman (D-NY) threw down with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday during a highly contentious House hearing.
Goldman began by asking, “Do you agree that asylum is a lawful pathway to immigrate to this country? Yes or no?”
Noem replied, “There’s an asylum program, yes.”
“All right. So immigrants with ongoing asylum applications are legally in this country, correct?” Goldman pressed.
Noem asked for clarification, “Excuse me, I’m sorry. Your question was?”
Goldman added, “Immigrants with ongoing asylum applications are legally in this country?”
Noem dodged, saying, “There are individuals in this country that have applications that —”
Goldman interjected, “And they are legally here because it’s a lawful pathway, right?”
Noem finally agreed, “It’s a lawful pathway.”
Goldman pushed, “Okay, so if your department then deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law, correct?”
Noem pivoted to blame the previous administration, “Joe Biden left us with the biggest thing —”
Goldman hit back, “I’m not asking about Joe Biden. I’m asking you a specific question. If your department deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law. Is that correct?”
Noem continued, “It was greatly violated when they allowed —”
The two then spoke over each other as Goldman demanded, “Why are you filibustering? Why can’t you answer the question? It’s a simple question. If your department deports anyone with an ongoing asylum application, you are violating the law. Isn’t that correct?”
Noem continued, “The asylum program was broken under the last —”
Goldman ended it there, concluding, “Mr. Chairman, I’ll reclaim my time. She’s not answering the question. But the obvious answer is yes. If you follow a lawful pathway, asylum is a 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.”
Watch the clip above.
