MARIA BARTIROMO (HOST): Congressman, let me ask you about the Hispanic community because obviously, you've worked a lot on immigration, and really what needs to be done now. How do you speak to those people who have come to this country legally, who have gone through all of the steps that they need to take, and yet they are looking at people who have not done that? Who have done it illegally, taking their jobs, getting services from government. What's the answer?
LUIS GUTIÉRREZ: Well, number one, they don't get services from government. It's illegal to get services from government.
BARTIROMO: Well, they're illegally here, as well. So, there's that.
GUTIERREZ: But, they're not getting government services, because they can't. It's illegal.
BARTIROMO: OK. But they may be taking people who are here legally's jobs.
GUTIÉRREZ: Well, I guess if you and I went out to Fresno, California, or out to the orchard groves of Florida, or the cherry harvesting in Oregon, you wouldn't find jobs that Americans are lining up for. The fact is, Maria, you and I each day go to our grocery store. Each week, there is fruits, there is vegetable, there is a lot of food put on our table because of immigrant work. We understand that that is vital.
You know, a lot of people talk about security of America and they say “energy security.” You know what security is also? Food. We are the producers of food of the world. Don't you think that those men and women who work -- backbreaking work, right? -- should have an opportunity to have the fruits of their labor, and not have to fear deportation. And be integrated. So, I don't know that they are taking away American jobs as much as they are creating jobs. So, if there is 11 million people, you're an economist, you know those 11 million people buy cars, pay taxes, rent apartments, buy clothes, they are also engines of the economy.
