CNN's Camerota Won't Let Ted Cruz Supporter Downplay Cruz's “Significant Change Of Position” On Deportations

Alisyn Camerota: “He's Going A Little Further Than What You Are Saying. He Says We Would Have Law Enforcement Look For People Who Are Violating The Law'”

From the February 23 edition of CNN's New Day:

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ALISYN CAMEROTA (HOST): Ted Cruz himself had a change of position or a seeming significant change of position last night. He went on Fox, and he talked about illegal immigration. He before last night had been saying that he did not believe in what Donald Trump was calling for, which was deporting all 12 million illegal immigrants here. Last night he seemed to say something quite different.

[...]

CAMEROTA: He went on to say yes he would deport and look for all 12 million people. Is that not a flip-flop?

BOB BARR: Well at least we're talking about a real issue rather than somebody whining about a campaign ad or something. These are the issues that we ought to be talking about. I think what the senator is saying here is that the federal government does have a responsibility to deport those who are here unlawfully. The senator has never said that he would send out a phalanx of law enforcement people looking into houses and so forth. But if in fact we do find and law enforcement does find individuals who are here unlawfully, absolutely they should be deported. And I think the senator is right in that regard.

CAMEROTA: Last night he seemed to be suggesting that he would allow ICE officers, federal agents, to go door-to-door if necessary and round up some of the 12 million people. He did seem to be changing, because Bill O'Reilly asked him that specifically, how would you do it, senator? And he said, yeah, would you go door to door? And Ted Cruz said yes. And that struck many as him taking a page from Donald Trump's playbook and something quite different than what he originally said. Do you see it as a flip-flop?

BARR: No, it's not a flip-flop. What we're talking about here is a very complex process of identifying and deporting those who are in this country unlawfully. And in certain circumstances where we know people or highly suspect people who are in communities, in businesses, such as those that the Obama administration has let into this country in violation of the law, then certainly we ought to identify them and remove them. I think the senator is absolutely correct on this.

CAMEROTA: I mean he's going a little further than what you are saying. He says we would have law enforcement look for people who are violating the law. Then we would have them -- then apprehend them and deport them. I mean he's going further than he has before.

BARR: I tell you, it's very easy to listen to one remark that somebody makes and pull out a little word here and there. But if you look at, I think very fairly, the whole range of what Senator Cruz is saying, it is a very comprehensive, very rational policy for identifying when you can and removing people who are here in this country unlawfully unlike the the current administration. That's the debate we ought to be having, not whining over some campaign ad.

Previously:

Fox News' Primetime Lineup Ignored Ted Cruz's Proposal To Deport 11 Million Immigrants And Halt Legal Immigration

Media Blast Ted Cruz's “Dishonesty” And “Hypocrisy” Over Previous Immigration Positions

On Hannity, Ted Cruz Praises Right-Wing Media For Leading The Fight Against Immigration Reform