Source: United States Senator for New Jersey Bob Menendez
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) today joined MSNBC’s José Díaz-Balart Reports live to discuss a meeting he had with President Biden alongside Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Alex Padilla (D-Calif.). During the meeting they spoke about executive actions the Administration can take to immediately protect Dreamers, TPS holders, and hardworking immigrant families currently living in the United States. Sen. Menendez also commented on the leaked SCOTUS draft decision on Roe v. Wade and what would happen if the high court moves to strike down 50-years of legal precedent and strip women of their constitutional right to choose and access abortion care.
[CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW]
On Immigration Meeting with President Biden:
“This was a meeting at the request of the four Senators who wanted to speak to the President about what we can do to provide relief to immigrant families here in the United States under existing law because we have been frustrated by our Republican colleagues unwilling to do anything about solving the overall immigration question. They want the issue more than they want a solution. And so without any Republican votes, whatsoever, we are left with the pathway of trying to find executive powers. So, there was a discussion about how do you look upon TPS, temporary protective status for certain groups that are in the country, and to look at reauthorizations of some and designations for others. How do you – we look at the rule-making that has been pending as it relates to DACA, the young people who have created an extraordinary future in this country but who don’t have status. Lastly, how do you use existing law as the President has used, for example, in the case of Ukrainians and others, for the purpose of looking at certain categories of immigrants who are producing a public health benefit to the United States, central food work, the food supply chain, central health care workers and others similarly situated. So, it was a positive conversation. I look forward to continue working with the Administration to see if we can make some of these things happen.”
On Roe v. Wade:
“What I’m saying is that, look, Republicans finally got what they’ve been advocating for. If this is the final decision of the court, then Republicans have been militating for decades to end a woman’s right to choose and the privacy basis under which a woman’s right to choose is determined for her own personal future as it relates to her body and the choices she will have to make. That has been the law for half a century. So, now Republicans, if you listen to them, you would think that all of those who were advocating for this result would be jumping for joy at the decision of the court. Instead, they want to run away from that decision. This is an example of the dog catching the bus. They got what they wanted and now they don’t want women in the nation to know that it is Republicans who are stripping away a woman’s right to choose. And for all of us beyond that, the fact that by undermining 50 years of precedent of a case that was decided, affirmed, and reaffirmed by the Supreme Court, that ultimately if you can change 50 years of precedent, you can change 50 years of precedent on voting rights, civil rights, and any other right you think that we have as a country that has been assured.”
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