News · Press Release

ICYMI: DCCC Chair Ben Ray Luján demands President Trump “Pick up the phone and stop this”

Lujan: “If he’s not going to do that, he should … visit these children… maybe it will fix something in him.”

In case you missed it, DCCC Chairman Ben Ray Luján appeared on MSNBC with Hallie Jackson to discuss his visit to two detention facilities yesterday in Brownsville, Texas, and to demand that President Trump puts a stop to this devastating and un-American policy of separating children from their families at the border.

Watch the full clip here.

Transcript

Hallie Jackson: I’m joined now by Congressman Ben Ray Luján, Congressman from New Mexico.  Congressman, thank you for being on the show. I understand that you have visited one of these facilities, one of these detention facilities. Can you tell us what you saw and what you heard?

Ben Ray Luján: Yesterday several colleagues and myself were down in Brownsville, Texas, where we went to visit some of these children and went to two of the facilities. One of the facilities especially we had a chance to meet baby Rodger and baby Liam; one 8 months old or 9 months old, the other a year old, separated from their mom, from their families. You know it’s emotional, when you go and you see these kids and then you hear the audio released from one of the DHS detention and holding facilities with children screaming and someone mocking them in the background. And then other images where children are being held in changes.

Look, the President needs to pick up the phone and stop this immediately. But the President, if he’s not going to do that, he should have the courage and the heart to go visit these children, these babies, maybe hold one in his arms and maybe it will fix something in him. But there’s no reason the President can’t stop this immediately.

[…]

Hallie Jackson: Do you believe the President has it within his authority to reverse that policy?

Ben Ray Luján: Hallie, if the President is truly in charge, there’s nothing that stops him from picking up the phone, calling Mr. Sessions, calling Secretary Nielsen, demanding that this stop immediately. Now as I said yesterday, if the President is not in charge, maybe he should check in with Steve Bannon or Stephen Miller and get permission from them. This has to stop. This is ridiculous. Look there’s got to be a little bit of love in that heart and Mr. President if you are watching, if you’re listening like I know that you do, pick up the phone and stop this.

Hallie Jackson: Congressman Ben Ray Luján, thank you very much for joining us.





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