[Matt Schlapp, Chairman, American Conservative Union, Former George W. Bush Political Director:] We have a broken process.
[Camerota:] You can come to the United States and seek asylum. That's legal. In fact, there used to be a time
[Schlapp:] No.
[Camerota:] that we opened our arms to people who wanted to come.
[Schlapp:] We still do.
[Camerota:] But, Matt, you keep
[Schlapp:] We still do.
[Camerota:] Hold on one second, Matt. You keep framing them as these sort of opportunists who are trying to take advantage of our system. Do you have any
[Schlapp:] They want to be
[Camerota:] sympathy for the conditions
[Schlapp:] They want to be in America. America yes.
[Camerota:] in their country?
[Schlapp:] Absolutely.
[Camerota:] Do you?
[Schlapp:] Look, I come on, my last name is Schlapp, Alisyn. Where the heck do you think I come from? I mean, all kinds of people throughout generations want to be Americans. It's one of the things I love about my country. And we're the most tolerant country on the face of the earth when it comes to accepting immigrants. We are still that way. What we cannot do is allow people to come here in a way where they get temporary protective status that allows them to stay in the country forever. We have millions of people in this country
[Camerota:] But, Matt, you know that there is a process for asylum seekers. I mean
[Schlapp:] We have millions of people who have come to this country this way. Alisyn, it's the wrong way to come.
[Camerota:] Matt
[Schlapp:] The right way to come is the legal system.
[Camerota:] You're lumping everything into one. You know that there's a process for asylum seekers and you know that's legal.
[Schlapp:] I do.
[Camerota:] And so here we are.
[Schlapp:] And, Alisyn, answer me this question. When you get your temporary status in this country, what are the consequences if you don't go to your hearing and go back to report about your status? What happens to you?
[Camerota:] Matt, you know what? My producers are yelling at me.
[Schlapp:] Did you answer that because I'm not yelling.
[Camerota:] Matt, I know what you're talking about
[Schlapp:] I'm not yelling.
[Camerota:] with this catch and release. That's what I believe you're referring to. And I believe that lots of people think that there is a problem with catch and release and that that's what they're trying to fix.
[Schlapp:] I agree with you.
[Camerota:] But drumming up fear right [audio gap]
[Schlapp:] It's truth.
[Camerota:] thousands of marauding people
[Schlapp:] There are thousands there are 5,000 4,000.
[Camerota:] at the southern border of Mexico. And by the time you know the attrition that happens by the time they get here it won't be. And then they're going to follow a legal process
[Schlapp:] So, Alisyn
[Camerota:] for seeking asylum and a fraction of them will get asylum.
[Schlapp:] Alisyn, you agree. You and I agree. They shouldn't be able to come into our country. It sounds like you and I agree. Let's shake hands on it. I agree. They should follow the law and you're saying
[Camerota:] Matt, everybody agrees that
[Schlapp:] that they're not going to be able to get here.
[Camerota:] people should follow the law. But listen, I like what you're saying.
[Schlapp:] So let's
[Camerota:] You and I will find out the exact number
[Schlapp:] Please, because I know I didn't use the right number
[Camerota:] Fair enough.
[Schlapp:] because I didn't look at it
[Camerota:] Fair enough.
[Schlapp:] before I went on the air.
[Camerota:] Got it.
[Schlapp:] Let's look at it.
[Camerota:] Let's be fact-based.
[Schlapp:] Every month people come into
[Camerota:] Let's be fact-based.
[Schlapp:] this country in this way
[Camerota:] Yes.
[Schlapp:] that allows them to come temporarily. They overstay
[Camerota:] I like your adherence of facts
[Schlapp:] OK.
[Camerota:] and when you come on later this week we will both be armed with the same facts and we'll have this discussion.
[Schlapp:] And I might be wrong because you know what, Alisyn? I'm wrong a lot
[Camerota:] I don't believe that.
[Schlapp:] but it doesn't mean I'm lying. And the president's wrong
[Camerota:] You're never wrong.
[Schlapp:] sometimes. It doesn't mean he's lying. Actually, when it comes this question of immigration he's been more right
[Camerota:] Matt, the president isn't even trying.
[Schlapp:] he's been more right than any politician we've seen recently.
[Camerota:] Matt, the president isn't even trying to use sense. And by the way, we have still not gotten the answer on where all that rioting in California was this weekend, but we'll continue to look at the facts. We look forward to talking to you about it
[Schlapp:] OK.
[Camerota:] later this week. Thanks, Matt.
[Schlapp:] Thanks.
[John Berman, Cnn Anchor:] I just want to see the handshake that was promised there.
[Camerota:] I was wondering how we were going to do that.
[Berman:] All right. Overnight, an explosive debate in a key swing state, plus a big poll number for a rising star in the Democratic Party. That's next.