Transcript - Remarks: Donald Trump Has Dinner With Governors to Discuss Border Security - May 22, 2018 | Factba.se

Donald Trump

00:00:00 - 00:00:20 (20 sec)

Thank you very much. We appreciate you being here. I'm delighted to welcome five of our nation's great governors to the White House, and Governor Hutchinson, Governor Ducey, Governor Bryan, Governor Martinez and Governor McMaster, they're doing a fantastic job, and we'll be talking about numerous things.

Donald Trump

00:00:20 - 00:00:39 (19 sec)

But one of the elements so important to us is to discuss the border and border security, crime and other things. But that's what we'll be focusing on tonight. We're grateful also to be joined by Secretary Nielsen, who's really working very hard at the border, with some very bad laws.

Donald Trump

00:00:39 - 00:01:03 (25 sec)

We have laws that are the worst anywhere in the world, as far as stopping people from coming in. But with that being said, we're down over 40% border crossings. We've been able to do what I think nobody else has been able to do. We're down over 40% tonight, where I'll be discussing joint efforts to stop illegal immigration and secure the borders.

Donald Trump

00:01:03 - 00:01:24 (21 sec)

Also we're going to be discussing the deadly ravages of drugs, gangs, and crime that's pouring across our border. We are stopping it and getting them out when they are able to get through, and the only reason they do get through is because of our weak laws that really have been given to us by weak people in Congress.

Donald Trump

00:01:24 - 00:01:37 (13 sec)

The Democrats have been horrible on border security. Frankly, it shouldn't be allowed, and many of them are standing there and sitting there and agreeing with me 100%.

Donald Trump

00:01:37 - 00:01:51 (14 sec)

As you know, I recently deployed the National Guard to the southern border, and I want to thank each of the governors here tonight. They've all been extremely helpful. They've sent a lot of people to those borders and we appreciate it very much.

Donald Trump

00:01:51 - 00:02:08 (17 sec)

We're also working with Congress to close the crippling loopholes and federal or especially, to disgraceful practice of catch and release. That's where you'll catch somebody, talk to him, sign them, and then you have to release them, and it's a horrible situation.

Donald Trump

00:02:08 - 00:02:29 (21 sec)

They're supposed to then show up to court. A very small percentage show up to court, and what happens is they get lost in our country, and in some cases, these are not people that you want in the country. So we're talking about catch and release. We have to end it. We're working with Congress on that. These laws have been there a long time and they are horrible

Donald Trump

00:02:29 - 00:02:45 (16 sec)

At the same time, we'll use every relevant legal authority to immediately protect our national security and to dismantle the violent criminal organizations plaguing our nation and poisoning our children. What's happening with drugs is a disgrace.

Donald Trump

00:02:45 - 00:03:06 (21 sec)

We've started the wall. We have $1.6 billion for the wall. We started new sections and we've started fixing large sections of wall. We have areas in San Diego that are going up very rapidly. We could have waited, and we would have had tremendous support to build the wall because they wanted it very badly in San Diego.

Donald Trump

00:03:06 - 00:03:22 (16 sec)

We decided to go forward, instead, we've made a lot of progress on the wall, but now we're going for additional funding and we need the wall for protection of our country also for keeping the drugs out. Very effective. Probably the most effective thing.

Donald Trump

00:03:22 - 00:03:35 (13 sec)

So with that, I think maybe what I'll do is we'll go around the room and each of the governors can say a few words, talk about the border, talk about crime or any other subject you'd like. Mr. Governor.

Doug Ducey

00:03:35 - 00:04:03 (28 sec)

Thank You, Mr. President, Thank you for having me to the White House tonight. I want to say thank you to Secretary Nielsen for coming to visit our border, and I think Secretary Nielsen was able to see how wide open and unprotected our, our border is in southern Arizona, and the flow of not only illegal drugs but human trafficking that comes over that border, and I'm hopeful we can have some productive discussion tonight as to how to address this.

Donald Trump

00:04:03 - 00:04:09 (6 sec)

Good, well, you've done a great job Doug. We appreciate it very much, and appreciate your support. You've had it all the way.

Doug Ducey

00:04:09 - 00:04:09 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:04:09 - 00:04:16 (6 sec)

General, would you like to say a few words about borders? You know more about borders, I think, than anybody.

John Kelly

00:04:16 - 00:04:34 (18 sec)

I would only say, sir, that when I was at DHS, your promises to the American public made a great deal of difference as we began to close that border. We passed it off to a great woman who's now the Secretary of Homeland Security, and she's doing a magnificent job. So with that that we'll just lean back, let the Governor talk.

Donald Trump

00:04:34 - 00:04:36 (2 sec)

Thank you very much. Thank you.

Henry McMaster

00:04:36 - 00:04:56 (19 sec)

Mr. President, on behalf of all the people in South Carolina, I'm honored to be here with you and each of these people, and I must say that you have kept every promise that you've made. You're delivering and you're delivering and doing the things that the people of this country want, that they've been waiting for, and in South Carolina, your popularity is soaring.

Henry McMaster

00:04:56 - 00:05:17 (22 sec)

I don't believe anyone who has ever, ever been so high, and people are investing money, people are going to work there, hiring new people are giving bonuses and every one of them says it's because Donald Trump is the President, and he means what he says. He does what he says, and we are thrilled that you and your team are here leading this country.

Henry McMaster

00:05:17 - 00:05:22 (4 sec)

We're standing strong again and you are making America great again. We appreciate it.

Donald Trump

00:05:22 - 00:05:36 (14 sec)

Thank you very much Henry. That's very nice. We are. The country is doing well from the standpoint of economics and finance. And what we're doing, I think, is unparalleled, and I appreciate your statement. Thank you very much. Governor?

Asa Hutchinson

00:05:36 - 00:06:02 (26 sec)

Mr. President, I probably have a little bit of a unique perspective because I was Undersecretary at Homeland Security back during the Bush administration. So I've been at the Arizona border. I've been at the Texas border, and what you've done is remarkable in the sense of really drawn attention to the problems in our system, and in focusing on improved border security efforts.

Asa Hutchinson

00:06:02 - 00:06:27 (25 sec)

And so, your leadership, in terms of being a spokesperson and identifying the problems, challenging Congress to act, is very, very significant, and I want to second General Kelly that Secretary Nielsen, I've known her a long time, really proud the job that she's doing. In terms of Arkansas, you know we value our immigrant population, they add a great deal to us.

Asa Hutchinson

00:06:27 - 00:06:44 (16 sec)

But, as you know, it has to be legal as to their entrance into our country, and it's that rule of law that's important that you've drawn attention to. We were delighted to support you. Arkansas was delighted to support through our National Guard, your efforts and will continue to support you

Donald Trump

00:06:44 - 00:06:53 (9 sec)

Thank you very much Governor. Appreciate it. How about Rick Perry. You know a lot about borders Rick. Governor of Texas for a long time. And what do you think?

Rick Perry

00:06:53 - 00:07:16 (24 sec)

I think you got a good group of people sitting around the table right here, and partnering with the states and the federal governments is the key to this, is it nobody can do it by themselves. The federal government can't do it by themselves, and the states can't do it by themselves, and finding those places -- and actually Kirstjen and I had talked a number of times about sometimes we're in conflict, one agency of government against another agency of government.

Rick Perry

00:07:16 - 00:07:42 (26 sec)

...and, and in trying to find the places where, that we can streamline those regulations like you'll... you gave me some pretty good instructions about getting rid of... of regulations that cost more than they than they benefit. So this is one of those that we can work together and find some places, whether it's flying the drones into certain areas or some of the other things that we can do together.

Rick Perry

00:07:42 - 00:07:57 (15 sec)

But I think it's important for the American people. You talked about this during the campaign, and you have talked about it on a regular basis every day, and if it's like everything else you talked about in the campaign, you're gonna get this done too.

Donald Trump

00:07:57 - 00:08:02 (5 sec)

A lot of progress. A lot of progress. We do need changes in the law, right Secretary?

Kirstjen Nielsen

00:08:02 - 00:08:03 (1 sec)

Donald Trump

00:08:03 - 00:08:22 (19 sec)

We need changes in the law to make it really, really good, but we have done a heck of a job, considering the fact that we do -- and I say it all the time, we have the worst immigration laws in the entire world. There is nobody close, and it could be changed so easily and we're gonna get it changed. Susanna?

Susana Martinez

00:08:22 - 00:08:39 (17 sec)

Yes, thank You, Mr. President, and thank you for the invitation. I've thanked you before and will thank you again for always, including us to be at the table to be able to discuss our issues. I've lived on the border for over 50 years, and I have seen the changes in reference to the border.

Susana Martinez

00:08:39 - 00:09:03 (24 sec)

And as a nation of laws, and our ability to speak to the Secretary, Secretary Nielsen and have those conversations of how it's changed over those decades, it is the security of our state and, at the end of the day, the security of our nation, because they don't just enter our state. They move on to the rest of the country and states that may not be a border state or being impacted in the same way.

Susana Martinez

00:09:03 - 00:09:28 (26 sec)

But I also admire the compassion that you have for DACA, and the compassion that you've expressed in reference to children that had no choice to come here, and you have expressed it in a way that no other President has before. And so I do believe people, as a nation of immigrants, that's what we are and we embrace it, and we honor that. However, we also have to respect that with our nation of laws.

Donald Trump

00:09:28 - 00:09:32 (3 sec)

Right. Beautifully stated. Thank you very much, appreciate it.

Phil Bryant

00:09:32 - 00:09:59 (27 sec)

Mr. President, I just want to thank you for the lives are saving now. I'm a former law enforcement officer, former drug enforcement agent. If if he see the drugs that are coming across the border, we know it -- we've known it for 30 years now, when I was In law enforcement, and Mississippi's I-20-I-55 corridor from drugs, that are killing our children, that are destroying our culture in many places, particularly inner cities.

Phil Bryant

00:09:59 - 00:10:38 (40 sec)

The trafficking of young girls, primarily from South America into the United States, we're trying to stop that in Mississippi. These... stopping that, reducing it at this level, will save their lives, will make America great again, will bring back the jobs that people have been... thought were forever lost to illegal immigrants coming here to work for less than the wages that Americans who work, will work without any type of health care or support, and do so illegally violating our laws. So thank you again for making this a nation of laws rather than men.

Donald Trump

00:10:38 - 00:10:42 (4 sec)

Thank you very much. Thank you very much everybody. Thank you.