On Wednesday’s CNN News Central, CNN’s Kate Bolduan gave Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez (D-NY) an unchallenged forum to complain about the Trump administration’s ICE raids.
Bolduan began by bringing up with her guest the Venezuelan gang member who was just arrested in the Bronx, leading the New York Democrat to soon complain about border czar Tom Homan talking up sending ICE agents into places like schools and churches.
REP. NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D-NY): Well, look, we support removing criminals — those who have a — an active warrant to be deported — to be arrested and deported. And this has happened under the Obama administration, it has happened under the Biden administration, and now under this administration. But let me make it clear — 90 percent of immigrants do not have criminal records. Only of the minority that do have criminal record basically are for traffic violations. And in terms of Mr. (Tom) Homan saying that this is about safety and safer communities, let’s be clear. He’s talking about going into schools, hospitals, churches, and other sensitive places.
She further fretted:
VELASQUEZ: These places have been considered safe havens because we don’t want people to avoid seeking critical services. Imagine if we are facing another pandemic, and people are so afraid of going to a hospital seeking health services. This is not the right way to do it. And he is wrong. That is exactly what is happening now. Parents are afraid to send their children to school. People are afraid to go into churches. Doctors are worried about how to protect their patients. And people really are afraid. Terrorizing the community is not public safety.
It was not mentioned that Homan has specifically talked about sending ICE agents into such places to arrest dangerous criminals.
Bolduan followed up by cuing up her Democrat guest to repeat complaints by those who fear being confronted during ICE raids:
BOLDUAN: What are you specifically hearing from your constituents since these operations have begun to play out? We’ve heard from the border czar, Tom Homan, saying that their priority is to first go after criminals — people with a criminal — violent criminal past. We saw that with that picking up of that Venezuelan gang member. Are you seeing — are you hearing from your constituents that others are being caught up in it as well? What are you hearing from constituents specifically?
VELAZQUEZ: Well, they are terrified. I had a meeting in my office in Queens, and people are asking me, you know, what assurances we have about sending the kids to the schools. They are really terrified. So, you see, what Trump and his allies are doing, they may frame their claims around crime, drugs and cartels, but it is clear that their mass deportation agenda will target millions of people who have no criminal records.
And this is not good for this community — the immigrant community. And, by the way, this is — they are even arresting American citizens like the Puerto Rican veteran in New Jersey and, then, yesterday, a family in Wisconsin. So this is an attempt to implement a mass deportation with a total disregard of the status of those people that they are arresting.
As if there were a need for Congress to rein in ICE arrests, the CNN host followed up: “I think a key question is, you said that people are looking to you for assurances. What can you and what can other Democrats in Congress, like, what is your plan of action to push back against this if there’s anything you can do?”
After the Democrat congresswoman recounted that she has strategized with a number of organizations about how to inform immigrants of their rights, Bolduan wrapped up the segment.
Transcript follows:
CNN News Central
January 29, 2025
8:33 a.m. Eastern
KATE BOLDUAN: I want to talk about what we know has played out just this week is this high-ranking member of a Venezuelan gang picked up in New York City, arrested in the Bronx, wanted for multiple serious crimes. This is when the new DHS secretary was also on the ground. Look, everyone wants a guy like that off the street. How do you put this in the context of, you know, that is a good thing, right? I mean, what do you see in these operations?
CONGRESSWOMAN NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D-NY): Well, look, we support removing criminals — those who have a — an active warrant to be deported — to be arrested and deported. And this has happened under the Obama administration, it has happened under the Biden administration, and now under this administration. But let me make it clear — 90 percent of immigrants do not have criminal records. Only of the minority that do have criminal record basically are for traffic violations. And in terms of Mr. (Tom) Homan saying that this is about safety and safer communities, let’s be clear. He’s talking about going into schools, hospitals, churches, and other sensitive places.
These places have been considered safe havens because we don’t want people to avoid seeking critical services. Imagine if we are facing another pandemic, and people are so afraid of going to a hospital seeking health services. This is not the right way to do it. And he is wrong. That is exactly what is happening now. Parents are afraid to send their children to school. People are afraid to go into churches. Doctors are worried about how to protect their patients. And people really are afraid. Terrorizing the community is not public safety.
BOLDUAN: I wanted to ask you, what are you specifically hearing from your constituents since these operations have begun to play out? We’ve heard from the border czar, Tom Homan, saying that their priority is to first go after criminals — people with a criminal — violent criminal past. We saw that with that picking up of that Venezuelan gang member. Are you seeing — are you hearing from your constituents that others are being caught up in it as well? What are you hearing from constituents specifically?
CONGRESSWOMAN VELAZQUEZ: Well, they are terrified. I had a meeting in my office in Queens, and people are asking me, you know, what assurances we have about sending the kids to the schools. They are really terrified. So, you see, what Trump and his allies are doing, they may frame their claims around crime, drugs and cartels, but it is clear that their mass deportation agenda will target millions of people who have no criminal records. And this is not good for this community — the immigrant community. And, by the way, this is — they are even arresting American citizens like the Puerto Rican veteran in New Jersey and, then, yesterday, a family in Wisconsin. So this is an attempt to implement a mass deportation with a total disregard of the status of those people that they are arresting.
BOLDUAN: I think a key question is, you said that people are looking to you for assurances. What can you and what can other Democrats in Congress, like, what is your plan of action to push back against this if there’s anything you can do?
CONGRESSWOMAN VELAZQUEZ: Well, for once, I — today I am holding a roundtable with over 70 organizations from my district to strategize as to how can we provide a sense of security for the people that we represent and provide the type of information that will empower these people to take care of themselves. You know, everyone in this country — who is in this country has constitutional rights. They have the right to go before a judge and state their case. And that is exactly what we intend to do — provide information as to what are the rights that they have and what are the things that they can — the actions that they can take to be safe in their own communities
BOLDUAN: Congresswoman, thank you for your time.
