Rep. Raul Ruiz weighs in on new immigration policies
News Channel 3's Peter Daut spoke with local Congressman Dr. Raul Ruiz (D-25th) who now represents parts of the valley including Indio, Coachella, and Cathedral City, who says lawmakers need to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Right now, Ruiz says more needs to be done to address the root causes of migration by having international agreements to process migrants in other countries.
On Thursday, Ruiz, who represents parts of the valley including Indio, Coachella, and Cathedral City as well as border cities in Imperial County, voted against a Republican bill to impose new restrictions on asylum seekers that would create a hardline counter to President Joe Biden's policies.
Local Republican Congressman Ken Calvert voted in support of the bill pointing out that Riverside County is the only non-border county in the nation where migrants are continually being dropped off.
Peter Daut specifically asked Ruiz about that bill and why he strongly disagrees with Calvert.
"The bill that the Republicans just passed would have completely cut funding to local communities, putting more of a strain on our counties and strain in our local nonprofits and faith-based and charitable organizations that believe in humanity, because of their belief in Jesus Christ and God and the Higher Power to take care of the foreigners who are desperate, hungry and tired, and so their bill would cut complete funding to those entities and that would put a strain right here in Riverside County," Ruiz said.
The bill has virtually no chance of becoming law since Democrats have a narrow hold on the Senate and President Biden has already promised he would veto it.
You can watch Peter's full, in-depth interview with Congressman Ruiz at the top of the article.
