During a town hall on CNN on Thursday, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) said she regrets her vote in favor of the Laken Riley Act and said that she thought the Trump administration “wanted to have border security, they wanted to work with Democrats, that we could actually move forward. I’m not really sure of that, because I’ve seen the rhetoric that has come out and the attacks that have been targeted towards immigrants.” And also maintained Democrats aren’t opposed to deporting criminals.
Hayes said, “I voted for that piece of legislation because of a very specific provision, and it was if it caused injury or death to a police officer, which was one small piece of it. There were other things about, to your point, Kaitlan, someone who…was charged but hadn’t been convicted. As I’ve thought about it, over the last couple of months, I probably would have voted differently. It’s a vote that I regret. But coming into this Congress, I trusted that this administration, we would have some — that they wanted to have border security, they wanted to work with Democrats, that we could actually move forward. I’m not really sure of that, because I’ve seen the rhetoric that has come out and the attacks that have been targeted towards immigrants. So, I am very cautious and careful when I’m negotiating my votes moving forward.”
Later in the town hall, Hayes stated that “Democrats are not opposed to someone who has committed a crime, or is here illegally” being deported. But the opponents of the Laken Riley Act had due process concerns.
Video Source: CNN
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