Immigration hard-liner Sen. Tom Cotton said Sunday he’s “willing to protect” the young illegal immigrants covered by an Obama-era program, but warns that legislation would have to address “the negative consequences.”
In an interview on NBC News’ “Meet The Press,” the Arkansas Republican insisted Congress has to stop “chain migration” and focus on a merit-based immigration policy in any fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
"Here's what the president and I and senate Republicans have been clear on: We're willing to protect the children in the DACA program and if we do that it will have negative consequences,” he said. “It will lead to more illegal immigration with children and that's why the security enforcement measures are so important… we have to address chain migration, a narrow, and focused package that should have the support of both parties."
He also slammed the “gross misrepresentation” of a heated meeting on immigration in which President Donald Trump referred to Haiti and some African nations as “s***hole countries.”
“Senator [Dick] Durbin [D-Ill.] represented that President Trump… repeatedly used vile, racist language. That's not the case. If he was, why didn't he slam anything and slam his paper up and get up and walk out.”
“I’ve never denied that there wasn't strong language used in the meeting by lots of people,” he added. “I'm not a shrinking violet about these things. I've been in a command post overseas and I've heard salty language before. What I'm saying it's a gross misrepresentation.”
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.