December 08, 2016
Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum suggested that an engineer who immigrated to the United States as a child continue her career in any other country if she's worried about a potential immigration crackdown from President-elect Donald Trump.
The exchange on the "The Messy Truth," a CNN show hosted by Van Jones, aired Tuesday. Santorum took a question from New York resident Elizabeth Vilchis, who explained to the former presidential candidate that she decided to get a degree in engineering because of a shortage of Americans taking jobs in science and technology.
Vilchis said she has a career in the field and spends time with students encouraging them to puruse engineering jobs, but added that she might be deported if Trump ends DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).
DACA is a federal program launched under the Obama administration that protects immigrants who came to the country as children with their families, knowns as Dreamers, from being deported. The program makes those immigrants eligible for a work permit, provided they meet certain standards.
Trump repeatedly promised to end DACA on the campaign trail. He has since said that he will "work something out" for Dreamers but has offered nothing in terms of specifics.
Vilchis asked Santorum, a Trump supporter, how he would advise her to plan her future. Santorum started by telling the story of his father coming to America at 7 years old from an Italy ruled by dictator Benito Mussolini. He added that laws at the time prevented his grandfather from coming to be with his family, but his grandfather said it was "worth the wait."
Santorum then advised that Vilchis take her career to another country and reapply to come back to America. Here's what he said, via Huffington Post:
“My final point is that you have the ability to go to any other country right now and apply those wares, and be successful, and reapply to come back to America,” Santorum added. “Go and make the world a better place.”
Vilchis pointed out that she didn't have an option when she immigrated to the country, unlike Santorum's grandfather, and noted she would be banned from the country for 10 years if she left and tried to come back. Santorum conceded that re-entry laws need to be reformed and that the 10-year ban is execessive.
You can watch the entire exchange below:
