CNN’s Chris Cuomo and Alisyn Camerota debated the point of citizenship Tuesday morning on “New Day” while covering another story of immigrant detainment — a Polish man named Dr. Lukasz Niec.
WATCH:
“The system seems to be seizing on this fact. Nice was convicted of misdemeanor theft 25 years ago,” Cuomo opened. “He agreed to a state plea deal for first-time offenders to keep his criminal record clean. That deal is not recognized by federal authorities. So, according to a federal notice, crimes involving ‘moral turpitude’ do make him eligible for deportation.”
“How does this make any sense? When the administration, the administration said they are going after the hardened criminals, the violent criminals, how does moral turpitude 25 years ago make any sense for a practicing, working doctor? I don’t understand, why is he being targeted?” asked Camerota.
“Well, because he broke the law. What the hard-liners will say is your invitation is only as good as your respect for the law and he broke the law, and that makes him eligible. Now, the delay in recognizing the offense and the degree of the offense and the disruption that it will cause does not seem to be fairness under law or justice,” said Cuomo.
“He was a lawful, permanent resident. I mean, that who isn’t we understood they were going to be targeting first, prioritizing,” said Camerota.
Then, ironically to himself, Cuomo made a clear point about citizenship.
“Anybody short of a citizen is vulnerable when it comes to the law and infractions and how those can be interpreted by the system based on its rules and that’s why the debate matters so much,” commented Cuomo.
Dr. Niec’s detainment clearly breaks the narrative that detainment of illegal immigrants is racially targeted.
Cuomo makes the point clearly whether he realized it or not.