NJ-07: New Jersey rep (R) goes silent for 8 seconds after question on mass deportations
Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (R-N.J.) fell silent after being asked by a debate moderator and his Democratic opponent whether he supports enacting mass deportations of migrants, a policy that former President Trump has called for.
The moment came during a debate between Kean and Democratic candidate Sue Altman on Sunday as part of the race to represent New Jersey’s 7th Congressional District in the House. Micah Rasmussen, the director of the Rebovich Institute for New Jersey Politics and one of the moderators, asked Kean if he would support the policy, and if so, how the costs of the policy will be handled and what will be deprioritized to ensure the policy can get done.
Kean said that millions of undocumented migrants from various countries have entered the U.S. in the past few years and the situation would have been solved if the Trump administration’s “Remain in Mexico” policy stayed in place. The policy, which the Biden administration ended, required migrants to stay in Mexico while awaiting their court date on whether they can be admitted to the U.S.
Kean said deporting the individuals who are “criminals” is “where you need to start” and accused Altman of having an “extreme” position, saying she supports allowing people to illegally come across the border without any checks.
https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4932516-tom-kean-jr-mass-deportations-debate-question-silence/