[Berman:] This morning, many Republican leaders are remaining silent after President Trump renewed his call for a group of minority Democratic congresswomen to leave the United States. This morning, though, there are some Republicans condemning the president's words. Joining me now is Republican Senator Rob Portman of Ohio. Senator, good morning. Thank you very much for joining us. Let me read to our viewers what you have said about the president's comments. You say that's not something I would say and I think it's divisive, unnecessary and wrong. What is wrong with what the president said, senator?
[Sen. Rob Portman:] Well, John, first of all, when I agreed to come on with you last week it was to talk about the border. So hopefully we'll get a chance to talk about that as well since I went down on Friday to tour some of the detention facilities. Look, I the the comments are unnecessary and and wrong by their very nature and, you know, I I I think there's a lot we should talk about and can talk about that unites our country now. Earlier on your show I noticed people were talking about the strong economy and the fact that wages are up, there are more jobs, you know, people are seeing more opportunity. That's a great thing for our country. And the president's responsible for a lot of that.
[Berman:] Senator
[Portman:] The tax cuts and tax reform is working. So I would hope, as I said in other comments, that he would talk about that because that would help unite our country.
[Berman:] I and I understand that and we are going to talk about immigration. Half of my questions are about that. But I do want to address your comments about the president's statement being wrong. And I've heard you say that, but I want to know, why? What about them is wrong?
[Portman:] Well, three of the four of these women, of course, were born here in the United States. All of them are American citizens, as as much as I am and you are. So, you know, that's something that when they disagree with their political points of view, and I do, and I think they have made comments that are inappropriate themselves, but the point is, let's focus on the policy issues. And, again, I go back to the biggest policy issue of all that most people care about the most, which is their futures and their kids futures and that's how the economy's doing and things are going well. So that would be a good topic to focus on.
[Berman:] Is it wrong is it wrong to tell people who disagree with policy points that they should leave the country?
[Portman:] Well, yes. I mean it was it was that's not all that was said, though. It was said that, you know, go back to their country, and their country is the United States of America?
[Berman:] Right.
[Portman:] So that's
[Berman:] It was wrong on both levels is what you're saying?
[Portman:] I'm sorry?
[Berman:] OK, so you are saying that's wrong. And my last question on this point then, senator, is, what are you going to do about it or do you think you have a responsibility in this subject to do more than just say it's wrong?
[Portman:] Well, I think all of us have a responsibility to speak our mind on it. And so I've done that. And, again, I think we ought to focus on how to work together to solve problems. And I'd love to get back to talking about the border with you a little about that because that's an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats alike to acknowledge there's a crisis and deal with a crisis because it's very real and a lot of people are being hurt and it's unfair for our country. So it's it's an issue that just screams for a little bipartisanship to try to solve the problem.
[Berman:] What did you see? You went to the border on Friday. What did you see?
[Portman:] Well, I went to two facilities. One was the Donna facility, where I saw a lot of families with kids. I spoke to five or six of the families about why they came, why they took the journey. And, look, these are all people from Central American. And in the case of people I talked to, and probably 95 percent of them from three countries, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras. They live in a very poor part of the hemisphere and all of them said the same thing, they want to have a better life for us, for our kids, can't get a job and you understand that. When, on the other hand, we have a country of laws and the immigration laws need to be respected. And that includes, by the way, long waiting lists of people who come here legally from this country. So we need to deal with it. And until we do, we're going to continue to see this surge. Remember, there are now tens of thousands of people a week streaming across the border presenting themselves to the Border Patrol because they believe that if they do so they'll get into the country. And traffickers are telling them that. And traffickers are charging them huge amounts of money to come up here. And they're right, these families with kids that I saw will all be released into the country. And the end of the day, if they do claim asylum, and none of them I talked to were claiming asylum, but some will, then only 15 percent will actually be able to have that claim granted because it will be viewed that it's not appropriate for the others, that they're more economic refugees, and yet 100 percent are being released into the United States and less than half to come their hearings, according to the best information we have. So it's a problem and there are things we can and should do. And we can do it in a bipartisan way. But if we don't, you know, we'll continue to see this influx, and not just from these Central American countries, but from other countries as well.
[Berman:] One of the things the president has has proposed, or says he will implement, I guess it's more than a proposal, he says he's going to do it by fiat, is he's going to change the asylum rules so that if you come here from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala and pass through Mexico, you will be turned away because you passed through another country, basically. It's the idea of a safe third country. Do you think it's legal, this action from the president?
[Portman:] Safe third country certainly is. We do it, as you know, with Canada. But I don't know that Guatemala and Mexico have signed up yet. They're just talking about doing that.
[Berman:] Well, they haven't. And that that's that's the difference. I mean Canada we have an agreement. We have a tacit agreement or verbal agreement with Mexico. I think it may be even a written agreement sorry, with Canada on this. We have no agreement at all with any of those countries and the law requires an agreement.
[Portman:] Yes. And I think we should pursue an agreement. And just so the viewers understand, if you walk through another country, come to another country that does have the ability to provide safe haven, then you need to apply for asylum there. And that would be Guatemala for most of these individuals and Mexico. Both countries are talking to us about doing that possibly. I have suggested something a little different, which is similar to what actually President Obama did remember when the unaccompanied kids were coming up in such huge numbers back in 2013, 2014, and that is to have these processing centers in Central America and in Mexico be used so U.N. through the U.N. HCR, High Commissioner Refugees, actually has centers in Central America and has a center in, in Mexico. And we've talked to them about processing these individuals. There's a lot of interest in that, by the way, that's bipartisan. That would make a lot of sense. Why do you want to have these people take this long and arduous journey if the same criteria as asylum can be used for refugees, which it is, why shouldn't that decision be made closer to their home? And that would cut out the traffickers, which, you know, would be the only group that would really be huge losers in this would be those human smugglers and human traffickers who are taking total advantage of the situation and exploiting these people.
[Berman:] And, Senator, we thank you we thank you for going down and looking for yourself at the border there. Just to go back to the beginning of the conversation, you obviously were uncomfortable answering questions about the president's words and statements. Does he put you, as a Republican senator, in a bad position?
[Portman:] Well, again, as I said in my statements that you didn't put on the air, he puts me in a in a situation on many topics that I'm very comfortable with, including talking about the policies. And that's that's where we've got to be focused.
[Berman:] But, Senator, that's dodging my question about about this. When when when he's telling people they should go home, right, people, women of color
[Portman:] Yes, well, I've I've John, I've I've made my comments on that. We've talked about it. You know how I feel. And I think the focus ought to be on the policy issues. And there I think he has a lot to talk about. Frankly, the American people are very pleased with the way the economy's going because they're feeling it, they're seeing it, and and that didn't just happen. It's the result of good policies. The president can talk about those policies.
[Berman:] Can you only talk about policy though? Is it can you talk about policy without also addressing things that might tear at the fabric of the country?
[Portman:] Well, yes, I mean I and I did. And, you know, that's part of the topic as well. But my my point is that, with all the issues we have right now, immigration being one of the crises we're facing, and it is a humanitarian crisis. It's an immigration crisis. It's a drug crisis on the border. Let's figure out how to put some of these differences aside that are political and focus on good policy and actually make a difference in the lives of the people we represent. That's that's my focus and I hope that that can be the focus going forward.
[Berman:] Senator Rob Portman from Ohio, thanks for being with us this morning.
[Portman:] Thanks, John.
[Berman:] Alisyn.
[Camerota:] OK, John, here's what else to watch today.
[On Screen Text: 9:] 15 a.m. ET, Apollo 11 crew at Kennedy Space Center. 10:00 a.m. ET, House Republicans hold news conference. 12:15 p.m. ET, Joe Biden speaks in Iowa.
[Berman:] Where were you 50 years ago today, Alisyn Camerota?
[Camerota:] I'm not going to answer that, John.
[Berman:] Fifty years ago today one of us wasn't born. Fifty years ago today, since America launched its first mission to the moon. The question is, will we ever go back. An acclaimed astronaut joins us next.
[Camerota:] Why do I have a horrible feeling I was watching