Transcript: Sen. Chris Coons on “Face the Nation,” June 9, 2024

The following is a transcript of an interview with Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, on “Face the Nation” that aired June 9, 2024.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to Delaware Democratic Senator Chris Coons. He is the national co-chair of President Biden’s re-election campaign and joins us this morning from his home state. Senator, let’s stay at the border. As we just left it there, this new order that the President implemented last week authorizes immigration officials to deport large numbers of migrants without processing their asylum claims. You were critical when Donald Trump used this 212f authority under his administration. Why do you support President Biden’s use of it?

SEN. CHRIS COONS: Because there’s a big difference in the values ​​that President Biden and former President Trump bring to trying to resolve the issue of border security and immigration. I remind you, Margaret, that former President Trump tried to implement a Muslim ban, a ban on entry into this country that was explicitly based on religion. He has also used cruelty, the forced separation of parents from their children, and the caging of children at our border to try to dissuade people from coming to seek asylum or seek refuge in our country. President Biden has repeatedly called on Congress to enact a comprehensive solution to our border security and immigration challenges, and after months of negotiation between Senators Lankford, Sinema, and Murphy, we were one day away from putting on the Senate floor what a bipartisan solution . Former President Trump intervened to stop this because former President Trump actually wants a problem to be solved through his election, rather than a solution that a bipartisan group of senators advocated. President Biden is moving forward with energetic leadership on securing our border. President Trump is simply turning this into a political issue.

MARGARET BRENNAN: And we should say you’re a co-chair of the Biden campaign, Senator, but we’ve covered the border debate and the bill in depth on this show, but based on the very premise of the authority that’s being used, there is There’s a lot of approval in our polls for what the President just did, but it seems, frankly, like they’re just trying to get caught trying, since the administration admits that the courts will probably stop this. The ACLU says it will sue over this. Asylum is a human right under international law. What do you think this signals to Biden supporters, especially on the progressive left of his party?

SEN. COONS: I think this signals that President Biden is determined to address issues that are of very broad concern to the vast majority of Americans. He would prefer this to be done through legislation, as he just pointed out, legislation that could provide the resources, the judges, the processing, the immigration funding that would contribute to a more balanced, humane and sustainable solution to our border crisis. May I remind you that former President Trump tried to use tricks like building a border wall and is now threatening to nationalize the National Guard and use it to deport tens of millions of people already here in the United States. The difference between Trump’s approach and Biden’s approach is between cruelty and effectiveness.

MARGARET BRENNAN: So just in our polls, only about 20% believe that President Biden’s policies would decrease the number of migrants. Are you worried it’s too late? I mean, we’ve been talking about process in Congress. We’ve been talking about this executive order for months and the trigger was pulled this week. It’s too late?

SEN. COONS: No, I don’t think so. Because, frankly, I think the American people understand the difference between substance and charisma. President Biden, every year in his State of the Union, has called for bipartisan initiatives to address the border and immigration. And there is one party, the Republican Party, that has repeatedly rejected bipartisan solutions to immigration and the border. And frankly, what I also hear as I campaign across our country for our president is great concern about the commitment to reproductive rights, to fundamental freedoms, on the part of the current MAGA Republican majority and former President Trump. He’s bragging about having appointed three justices to the Supreme Court who overturned Roe v. Wade. Wade and who have now put contraception at risk. That’s why we held a vote in the Senate last week, Margaret, to make clear that Democrats will protect fundamental rights where Republicans, under the leadership of former President Trump, put them at real risk.

MARGARET BRENNAN: I want to ask you about the Middle East. He described Prime Minister Netanyahu’s last speech to a joint session of Congress in 2015 as a political demonstration against then-President Obama. We are in this election year, there has been tension between our two leaders. Do you expect the Prime Minister to hold an election rally against President Biden?

SEN. COONS: Boy, I hope not, but Prime Minister Netanyahu has a long history of being very partisan and very divisive. For decades, Margaret, strong, bipartisan support for Israel’s security has been a hallmark of our close alliance. But I must remind you that Prime Minister Netanyahu is not just divisive here, he is divisive at home. For months and months before the October 7th attacks, the biggest protests in Israel’s history were taking place week after week in the streets of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem against the measures that Prime Minister Netanyahu was taking, putting the rule of law at risk. . And Benny Gantz, a centrist and decorated IDF war hero, will likely announce today that he is leaving Netanyahu’s war cabinet because there is no clear plan for the way forward. Our president, Joe Biden, has led a strong effort to try to secure the release of hostages and a ceasefire. It has been embraced by all our close allies in the G7 and I hope this can still be achieved. But frankly, if Netanyahu isn’t going to come and talk to Congress about his plan for securing peace, his plan for the way forward, I don’t know why we would.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Yes, so why would the Democratic leader in the Senate agree to something that could be potentially so damaging to the president?

SEN. COONS: Well, Senator Schumer said publicly that it was with some reluctance, some concern about how Prime Minister Netanyahu has this past practice of using a speech to Congress to cause division. He has the opportunity to help rebuild and secure bipartisan support for Israel. He has the opportunity to present a positive path towards peace. Look, I respect how hard Lindsey Graham, Senator Graham, has worked to try to bridge Saudi normalization with Israel in exchange for Palestinian self-governance. This is an important effort that many of us have been involved in. Prime Minister Netanyahu has the opportunity to show that he will be a true leader, not just a party leader, but someone who will try to ensure peace and stability for Israel. I hope that happens, which is why Senator Schumer agreed to invite you to speak to a joint session of Congress.

MARGARET BRENNAN: Senator Coons, thank you for joining us today.

SEN. COONS: Thank you.

MARGARET BRENNAN: We’ll be right back.