Sparks fly when Obama alums fight over decriminalizing the border
The question of decriminalizing the border was a powder keg on Wednesday night, and it ignited when the two Obama administration alums on the Democratic debate stage went head-to-head.
Things got tense when former Vice President Joe Biden responded to an anticipated attack from former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro about immigrant deportations under President Obama. "We sat together in many cabinet meetings," Biden said. "I never heard him talk about any of this when he was secretary."
Biden added his own opinion, that "if you cross the border illegally, you should be able to be sent back. It's a crime."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Castro was ready for Biden, too. "First of all, Mr. Vice President, it looks like one of us has learned the lessons of the past and one of us hasn't," he said. Castro then explained that his own plan would fix the broken legal immigration system and added, "what we need are politicians that actually have some guts on this issue."
"I have guts enough to say his plan doesn't make sense," Biden fired back.
Other Democrats also got into the melee. "An unlawful crossing is an unlawful crossing, whether you deal with it in the civil courts or the criminal courts," said New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker. California Sen. Kamala Harris argued for the decriminalization of illegal border crossings, speaking of her experience visiting a government camp in Florida. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand likewise gave a passionate argument to change border crossing violations to civil ones.
Watch more of the debate, below. Jeva Lange
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.
-
'King's horses take free rein through London'
Today's Newspapers A roundup of the headlines from the US front pages
By The Week Staff Published
-
Is pop music now too reliant on gossip?
Talking Point Taylor Swift's new album has prompted a flurry of speculation over who she is referring to in her songs
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Nuclear near-misses
The Explainer From technical glitches to fateful split-second decisions, the world has come to the brink of nuclear war more times than you might think
By Rebecca Messina, The Week UK Published
-
Ukraine cheers House approval of military aid
Speed Read Following a lengthy struggle, the House has approved $95 billion in aid for Ukraine and Israel
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Poland, Germany nab alleged anti-Ukraine spies
Speed Read A man was arrested over a supposed Russian plot to kill Ukrainian President Zelenskyy
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Israel hits Iran with retaliatory airstrike
Speed Read The attack comes after Iran's drone and missile barrage last weekend
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Peter Murrell: Sturgeon's husband charged over SNP 'embezzlement' claims
Speed Read SNP expresses 'shock' as former chief executive rearrested in long-running investigation into claims of mishandled campaign funds
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Mark Menzies: Tories investigate MP after 'bad people' cash claims
Speed Read Fylde MP will sit as an independent while party looks into allegations he misused campaign funds on medical expenses and blackmail pay-out
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Why Johnson won't just pass Ukraine aid
Speed Read The House Speaker could have sent $60 billion in military aid to Ukraine — but it would have split his caucus
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Sudan on brink of collapse after a year of war
Speed Read 18 million people face famine as the country continues its bloody downward spiral
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump's first criminal trial starts with jury picks
Speed Read The former president faces charges related to hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published