Ronna McDaniel on immigration crisis: President Trump has common sense solutions but Democrats refuse to fix the problem

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Ronna McDaniel on immigration crisis: President Trump has common sense solutions but Democrats refuse to fix the problem

In spite of opposition from the Washington establishment, President Trump appears determined to fund a wall along the Mexican border; reaction from RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and Fox News political analyst Gianno Caldwell.

This is a rush transcript from "Hannity," December 26, 2018. This copy may not be in its final form and may be updated.

JASON CHAFFETZ, HOST: Well, Tammy, thank you so much.

And welcome to the special edition of a “Hannity: Trump Versus the Establishment.” I'm Jason Chaffetz, in tonight for Sean.

Just 24 hours ago, many in the mainstream media were openly mocking President Trump for losses in the stock market and ridiculing him for not visiting our troops during the Christmas season. Once again, the destroy Trump press looked a bit foolish. Today, the stock market bounced back with a record single day point gain, and President Trump, along with the First Lady Melania Trump, spent the day with our troops, after a surprise visit to Iraq where he shared his gratitude for all of Americans' brave servicemen and women.

Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: Thank you. And every service member throughout this region, for the near elimination of the ISIS territorial caliphate in Iraq and in Syria. Two years ago, when I became president, there were a very dominant group. They were very dominant. Today they are not so dominant anymore.

(CHEERS AND APPLAUSE)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: On his way back from Iraq, President Trump visited U.S. soldiers in Germany. We'll keep you updated on his surprise trip throughout the show.

But first, joining us now with the reaction, the author of "Why We Fight," FOX News national security strategist Sebastian Gorka, former press secretary for Vice President Pence and member of the Trump 2020 advisory board, Marc Lotter, and from "The Wall Street Journal," one of my personal favorites, Kimberley Strassel.

Thank you, all three of you, for joining us, on this beautiful night and this great holiday season.

I want to start with Dr. Gorka.

The president is out there, I think, one of the great strings of the president has been his foreign policy but there have been some moves. What's the signal and the message that the president is trying to portray out there to the world?

SEBASTIAN GORKA, CORRESPONDENT: Well, merry Christmas, Jason.

It's a very simple one. It is the antithesis of the previous eight years under the Obama White House. Remember, under that administration, we had concepts such as leading from behind, which is, of course, an oxymoron, and strategic patience, allowing others to take the initiative, built into the foreign policy of the United States. Basically, America withdrew from the world and allowed others like Putin, like ISIS, like China, like Iran, to take initiative and destabilize blue glow. What you saw today, I spoke with the White House, the president on his way to Iraq, what you see is an expression of American leadership reasserted, whether it is saying in Syria, look, we have done what we came to do, the caliphate is destroyed. Now, others have to pick up the load.

Or whether it is spending your Christmas as commander in chief with the first lady, the first time ever, the first lady and my understanding is visited Iraq since 9/11, taking your Christmas celebration, and taking it to the troops, and the amazing moment that Sarah Huckabee Sanders shared with us when one of our servicemen said to the president, I came back into the armed services because of you, Mr. President, and his response was, what? I am here now in Iraq because of you.

That's the "Make America Great Again" way and that's Donald Trump.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Marc, what is -- tell us about the perspective from the international community. We are the world's preeminent superpower. So, what is the message that President Trump is putting out there by being on the ground himself in Iraq?

MARC LOTTER, FORMER PRESS SECRETARY FOR VICE PRESIDENCE PENCE: I think it sends a strong message that the president has the facts of our soldiers and our airmen and our sailors, no matter where they are stationed in the world, and he showed that, he demonstrated that. And this is a president who is also stood with them by rebuilding our military, and so much emphasis has been placed today on the launch of the hypersonic missile over in Russia. This is a president now who saw our military decimated under the Obama administration. He stood up, he's rebuilding our military, he is putting up in a position where we can defend ourselves and our allies around the world and our enemies know it.

CHAFFETZ: Kim, there's been a lot of discussion over the last week that the moves in Syria and whatnot, but this is also just about Iran? I mean, the proximity cannot get lost. We hear almost nothing being mentioned about Iran and the message that this might send to the Iranians and the Europeans and others about our positioning on Iran.

How do you read into that?

KIMBERLY STRASSEL, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: Well, that is why that is so important, because, coming on the back of the announcements about Syria and Afghanistan, the worry was, of course, that the message that was being sent to Iran was that we were not certain about our commitment in key areas in that region. And by going there, by making it clear we are not withdrawing from Iraq, we're not stopping the fight against ISIS, and we are not ceding the territory and the regional control to Iran, that is a good message for the president.

Can I just add something, Jason?

CHAFFETZ: Sure.

STRASSEL: I think it would be worthwhile, there is all this focus right now on what this means, the president's rock week, and the press has all been struggling and focusing on that. This is a straightforward story of a president going over to visit the troops, saying hello, which is a customary thing to do, and we should be celebrating it for that in and of itself.

CHAFFETZ: So, Marc, do you think we're going to see a lot of corrections on the front pages of the newspapers and talk shows across the country? Is that going to happen?

LOTTER: No, absolutely not. They are already picking apart every word that he said. And to Kim's point, the only video and the only audio we really need to hear is, are those troops were chanting "USA, USA" when the president and first lady walked in there, they love their commander in chief and Donald Trump.

CHAFFETZ: You know, Dr. Gorka, one of the important messages to the troops is that we as Americans, all of us Americans, no matter your political stripes, that we stand behind the troops. Is this just a photo op? The criticism is, hey, Donald Trump didn't go there and then as soon as he goes there, they say it is just for a photo-op.

What does this mean? What is the message that president Trump is saying to the men and women and their families who put their lives on the line for our United States military and for this country?

GORKA: Jason, it has nothing to do with a photo opportunity. It was leaked from us and all I can discuss it, and a second months of the administration, we had 18 future Green Berets visiting the EOB, the Eisenhower building next to the White House. After they visit the NSC, I took them to meet the president.

The president took time out of his schedule to meet these young officers, each one was photographed next to the president at that resolute desk, not because those photographs can be used in public, because these are our cutting edge, Army Special Forces guys. Those photographs never see the light of day. But he wanted to give something to them, to give back, to show that he still so respects anyone that wears the cloth of the republic or law enforcement, I see it again and again and again.

The first thing the president does when he gets off Air Force One, when there are no cameras there, at that base, he gets off and he goes down and he shakes the hand of every police operator to show his respect. This is a man who loves those people and it makes such a change after the Obama years.

CHAFFETZ: No, it does. The president is on the ground as we speak at the Ramstein Air Force Base there in Germany. It's the middle of the night. But he is there visiting with troops. You know, those Air Force bases are working 24/7, and the president is there on the ground as we speak.

Kim, I also want to talk, though, about the other big news that happened today which was the stock market. A thousand-point again, which is not a typical day. There has been some volatility on the market. How do you read into that? What are the swings attributed to and where should investors look at where are they going?

STRASSEL: The first thing is, it was good news of the White House came out today and made clear that the Fed Chief Jerome Powell, his job was secure, OK? Because that was some of the uncertainty that we were seeing out there.

But, look, I think there comes a point at which the market just steps back. Maybe that is what we saw today. And we realized that despite all the talk about the uncertainty that is out there, on China, on trade deals, the shutdown, et cetera, that the fundamentals of the economy remained really strong and we are seeing that come in.

Really robust holiday sales. We are going to have GDP come in at a very strong number this year. Unemployment remains low. All of these things that are key indicators of economic strength and manufacturing and other areas, they really are looking good.

And hopefully, that's what you are seeing today, is a bit of a correction with regards to the market, and the market is not an indicator of the economy obviously. But it takes a cue from economic signals and hopefully, this is a return to a little bit of rationality about the future and the prospects for U.S. growth.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Marc, one of the things the president also said while he was in Iraq is that he plans to visit the southern border. What would you like to see the president due and how does this play into the shutdown fight and discussions we have going on on almost an hourly basis right now?

LOTTER: I want to see him highlight the great work that Customs and Border Patrol does every day, even during the shutdown, to keep out illegal immigration, stop gang members, and drugs from flowing into our country and show the rest of the world what we who know the statistics know, walls work. It is easy to demonstrate that through real-life examples.

And so, I think the president will highlight that and will set the stage for not only the negotiations with Speaker Pelosi, but it will set the stage for a very strong state of the union speech that I can almost guarantee you will have a very heavy focus on immigration, reform, broad- based immigration reform, and securing our borders.

CHAFFETZ: Yes, when the president gets an hour or two to address the nation in the State of the Union affair and he gets to talk in front of members of Congress, I have been there in the audience to listen eight times to Barack Obama try to tell me the way the world was, I was -- it was a fascinating thing.

But, Dr. Gorka, the president is going to the southern border. What is the method you would like to see the president portray?

GORKA: Well, Marc is right, in addition to recognizing the incredible work of CBP and ICE and everyone who wears the uniform and protectors of the border, there is one very simple message: the wall will be built and the border is a national security issue, Jason. You know as well as anybody else.

This isn't about illegals who are turned into a voting base for the Democrats. This is about MS-13. It's about drug trafficking, it's about women who are raped as they walk across the border, minors being handed into the hands of coyotes.

This is a national security issue and that is how the president is going to represent it to all of America, whether Chuck Schumer or Nancy likes it or not.

CHAFFETZ: Look, I think you are absolutely right. And stay tuned with us later in the show, we will talk more about that in depth. But thank you very much during this holiday season for joining us here tonight. We do appreciate it.

Coming up, Rush Limbaugh breaks down why Democrats owned the shutdown. Stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to the special edition of "Hannity."

In spite of opposition from the White House establishment, President Trump is determined to fund the wall in our southern border. During today's trip to Iraq, he said that the government shutdown while not end without an agreement on border security that includes the wall.

Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: We're going to have a wall. We're going to have safety. We need safety for our country, even from this standpoint. We have terrorists coming in through the southern border.

Folks are saying, can we have some drones? Can we have technology? Technology's bells and whistles. You have to have a wall, have to have protection.

But we have in addition to drugs, in addition to human trafficking, in addition to mass numbers of illegals who are come in, many of whom are criminals, you saw that, 618 so far that we found -- in some cases, very serious criminals, in some cases, murderers. We need a wall.

So, when you say, how long is it going to take, when are they going to say that we need border security? When are the Democrats going to say? Don't forget, the Democrats all agree that you need a wall on until I wanted it. Once I wanted, they didn't agree.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: President Trump also told reporters that he would be making a trip to the border in the near future.

Joining us now with the very latest is Mike Emanuel -- Mike.

MIKE EMANUEL, CORRESPONDENT: Jason, good evening.

The Senate is due to return tomorrow afternoon, but there are no signs of progress at this point. President Trump in Iraq today was asked how long the partial government shutdown would last.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: Whenever it takes. We are going to have a wall. We are going to have safety. We need safety for our country, even from this standpoint. We have terrorists coming into the southern part of.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: It is not clear the Democrats want to cut a deal with the president, with Nancy Pelosi facing a critical vote to become speaker on January 3rd, and clearly not wanting to look like she is caving to the president.

On Christmas Eve, the top Democrats and Congress went after the president on the partial government shutdown. Later, Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer saying, quote: The president wanted the shutdown but he seems not to get himself out of it. As long as the president is guided by the House Freedom Caucus, it is hard to see how he can come up with a solution that can pass both the House and Senate and end his Trump shutdown.

Today, a key House Republicans suggested the president should make his case directly to the American people.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. SEAN DUFFY, R-WIS.: This is about the perception of the American people, and the president has to continue to message the American people while he's fighting to secure the border and I know he likes to tweet but let's do a national address, and addressed to the American people from the Oval Office saying why this is so important, and if he does not come I think he wins the hearts and minds of the people and Chuck will roll.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

EMANUEL: With the ball on this and court right now, House leaders say they will give their members 24 hours notice ahead of possible votes -- Jason.

CHAFFETZ: Mike, thank you very much.

On Monday, radio legend Rush Limbaugh urged President Trump to stand firm on his border wall promises. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

RUSH LIMBAUGH, RADIO TALK SHOW HOST: The Democrats have no incentive, really, to solve this, until they take control of the House of Representatives on I think January 3rd. But I want the president to hold firm on this. This shutdown is one that the Democrats own. This would be very easy to resolve. And they don't want to do it. They don't want to do it because I'll tell you -- if you look at the media, "The Washington Post" today, CNN, folks, they have Trump gone in three months. They believe that in three months, they will have fractured Trump base, i.e., you.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: So, what are the ramifications of this political showdown?

Joining us now as RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and FOX News political analyst Gianno Caldwell.

Thank you both for joining us here.

Ronna, I want to start with you because the messaging from the Democrats has been about abolishing ICE, about open borders, about supporting sanctuary cities, not building the wall. How in the world today do they have a winning message with the American people?

RONNA MCDANIEL, RNC CHAIRWOMAN: Well, they don't, Jason. And I think as the American people learned that asylum claims are up 1,700 percent over the past eight years, when they learned that 12,000 kids have come here unaccompanied and they are being held in in the care of HHS because they are coming without their parents to try to get into this country, when they hear all the things that are happening, that there are 800,000 cases right now pending in our courts for these asylum claims, they go, this is a crisis. This is ridiculous.

The president is coming to the table with solutions, very reasonable, common sense solutions, and the Democrats refused to fix the problem. This is owned by the Democrats and the American people, they more they learn about this, are going to recognize that the Democrats are not doing right by our country, or by the people trying to come into this country. We need to fix our immigration problem.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Gianno, I have never seen a political party succeed by being anti-federal worker, by attacking the 20,000 plus border patrol agents, about saying they want to abolish ICE, about -- they do all these things, what is their message? How do you see this playing out?

GIANNO CALDWELL, POLITICAL ANALYST: You know, it's interesting. I was just talking about this on my Instagram account. I can tell you, the reason why they do this is because they feel that, hey, the border security folks may not be voting for them, they support President Trump.

So when you think about the fact that in 2006, Barack Obama himself said, U.S. senator, said that we needed secure fencing. He voted for the Secure Fencing Act. People like Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, Chuck Schumer, they also part of it. And now they are against it, certainly because President Trump has proposed it.

In addition to this, Sebastian Gorka mentioned something in the last segment that was very important. There are a number of criminals that are certainly trying to get in, not all, but certainly there are some. If we look back in 2017, ICE, out of their most folks they brought in, 74 percent of those folks had past criminal convictions for things as serious as possessing or selling drugs. These are the hard-core drugs.

So when you think about these facts, these very irrefutable facts, how could they not want to protect our country? Only because they believe they can correlate some of these votes to protect their party and stay in power.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Ronna, I think part of the messaging actually should be, let's do what the border patrol wants to do. I mean, we have a lot of these political pendants, we have these members of Congress who have never turned onto the border, I was in Congress for eight and a half years, I went to the border multiple times, riding ATVs, chasing guys who had drugs, we confiscated all these types of things. Most of these members have never been there.

Why has the -- the Republicans, why haven't they shifted the focus to the Border Patrol, the people who put their lives on the line every day, and focus on what they want? Because they do want the wall.

MCDANIEL: Well, they are also the experts. They are dealing with this every day. They're on the front lines. You know, if you go to the doctor and they say, here, you need to take this medicine, we see this all the time, you do it, right?

CHAFFETZ: Right.

MCDANIEL: The ICE agents, the CBP, they are coming and they are saying, we need help. We have a crisis, we have drugs coming across the border, we have an influx of these caravans coming, we cannot maintain at the current state.

And the Democrats have never listened to ICE and CBP. They voted against for sanctuary cities, they voted against Kate's Law. Would have the Democrats ever supported our men and women serving at the border? And it's just shameful and Chuck Schumer owns this 100 percent, Nancy Pelosi owns this 100 percent. Republicans and the president are fixing the problem.

Democrats come to the table, do your job. We need to fix our immigration system.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Gianno, the Democrats, they have said all along, hey, we are for border security. But have you see them define what their supposed support of security actually is? What is it?

MCDANIEL: No. They probably don't know. They won't have an answer because they have no interest in finding an answer.

And here's why: they realize that by 2045, that there is going to be a minority white voter, right? So we are talking about there were no longer be 50 percent right. That is why they have abandoned the white working class, that's why they abandoned the black community a long time ago because they would like to support any one that would support these newer age, new generation Hispanic individuals who would be more likely to be Democratic voters.

And that's what this comes down to. They want to continue to at least assess the power and continue to climb up the ladder. They have no interest in protecting our country. They want to protect their power base and that's what I believe this comes down to.

CHAFFETZ: So, real quickly for each of you, how does this partial shutdown of the government, how does it actually come to an end? Ronna?

MCDANIEL: Well, I think the president is going to hold firm. Listen, this is a president who came to Washington then and said enough of business as usual. He took on ISIS. He's taken on deregulation. He's taken on trade deals. He's lowered taxes.

And he has said the immigration problem is a crisis, we are going to solve it, and he is not going to blink and Democrats need to come to the table and fix this problem. It's their job in the American people, the more they learn about what's happening at our border are going to support the president in this issue.

CHAFFETZ: Gianno, real quickly, the president has finding the establishment, not only in Washington, D.C., but also the media as well. How do you see they shut down?

CALDWELL: Well, certainly, it's going to take Democrats coming to the table. Do they have any incentive to come to the table? Like Rush Limbaugh said, not until January 3rd, they have no incentive.

So, they want to make a power play here. But if the individuals that these coalition groups continue to put the pressure on the Democrats, we continue to make the case, I like what Congressman Duffy said. If President Trump gets in front of the camera and does an address to the contrary, stating the very importance of this, we could see some movement and certainly some changes.

CHAFFETZ: Ronna and Gianno, thank you very much. I think you are right. I think Sean Duffy's comments were spot on and the president needs to talk specifically about what's happening and why it is so important to secure the border.

So, while President Trump remained steadfast on a plan for the southern border wall, the health situation there continues to be a serious issue. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Protection will now perform medical checks on every child in his custody after an 8-year-old boy from Guatemala died in CBP custody.

This tragic death came after two separate trips to the hospital for what was initially believed to be a severe cold. Now is the CBP works to address the critical health issues faced by those who made the long, arduous journey to the United States, many in the mainstream media are busy assigning blame as fast as they can. Instead of warning about the serious risks posed by this type of illegal immigration, watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Little children continue to die in the custody of the U.S. government. And remember, friends, that is our government. That is your government and my government. It is allowing little children to die while they are being incarcerated.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: This is becoming a major significant problem for this administration after the separation of children from their parents earlier this year, and now there seems to be this sense of disarray within U.S. Customs and Border Protection that they aren't protecting the children that are coming across the border.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm curious. We know of two children that have died in the past month. Can you guarantee us that there are not more children that we have not heard about that I've also passed away?

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Joining us now the reaction, his former acting ICE director and FOX News contributor Tom Homan. I had the pleasure in Congress of interacting with Mr. Homan.

I appreciate you being here tonight.

When you watch these people on television say that our government allowed these kids to die, what runs to your mind?

THOMAS HOMAN, FORMER ACTING ICE DIRECTOR: It's an insult to the thousands of men and women wearing uniform on the southern border. I mean, that these people put their own safety and health at risk every day to defend this nation. I mean, I have been enforcing immigration law since 1984, starting a border patrol. And I have seen dead bodies every year in my career. I found that aliens left on the trail by smugglers because they couldn't finish their journey. So, they left them abandoned and died.

I was in Phoenix, Arizona, when aliens were tortured and killed to pay smuggling fees. I stood in the back of a tractor trailer in Victoria, Texas, with 19 dead aliens who suffocated to death at the hands of a criminal organization, including a 5-year-old little boy that died in his father's arms. Where was the call for investigations then?

You know, the men and women of Border Patrol, and I have been with them, again, I started with them, a lot of these men and women of the border patrol, they will give their lunch to an illegal alien that hasn't eaten. When the children and families come in, they bring toys from their own children to help these kids. These are men and women, fathers and mothers and sons and daughters. They are doing the best job they can.

Children, women, aliens, have died, the entire 34 years I have been in this business. So, no administration owns this problem. And for those politicians who want to call out border patrol, they need to look in the mirror, because they had an opportunity to close the loophole that cause these families to come, the Flores settlement agreement, the asylum laws, to abolish ICE, come to California, the sanctuary state, we'll give you a driver's license, we'll give you in-state tuition.

They are enticing people to make this dangerous journey. So, they want to blame somebody? Look in the mirror first.

CHAFFETZ: Last week , I was on the network and I sent a message to the families that are thinking about coming north is don't do it because you might die. It is a treacherous -- or, my gosh by the people on the left just went nuts that I had said some immoral thing.

But talk about that journey, and what these families go through and what these individuals -- sometimes these kids are left to go by themselves. Who -- this is human trafficking, is it not? Putting them into the drug cartels and the other coyotes that bring these people north, is it not?

HOMAN: When you enticing people to come to the country illegally, if you enter illegally, most of the time, that is alien smuggling, who in turn have to pay the drug cartels and work through their area of control. So when you do not push back on illegal immigration, you are bankrolling the very criminal organizations that smuggle drugs, smuggle guns, and have killed border patrol agents, had killed ICE agents and DEA agents.

You are bankrolling criminal organizations. And I have said many times in my interviews the last two years, they say, this Tom Homan guy, he wants to arrest everybody, he's all about law enforcement.

Every speech I have ever given come at the end, I say, let's look at the flip side of the coin. It's not just about enforcing laws, it's about saving lives. The more you entice people to come to this country, the more people will die.

CHAFFETZ: And we do bring people in legal and lawfully. I have thought for a long time, part of what suffers here are the people that have tried to do it legally and lawfully because we don't -- we don't take care of them as much as we do somebody who is trying to come across. They are all human beings. They're going to be as humane as we possibly can.

But I think part of the message ought to be, and that is with the president said, right, is come to the ports of entry. Don't try to cross the border illegally. It's dangerous.

HOMAN: That's a great point. First of all, I agree 100 percent. We are the most giving country in the world. We accept more refugees into United States than any other country in the world combined.

CHAFFETZ: Yes.

HOMAN: Now President Trump tried to do the right thing. He tried to say, if you enter the country illegally, you want to be able to claim asylum, you need to go to a port of entry where you are safe, you're surrounded by federal agents. You are not at the hands of criminal organizations.

Then the ACLU is quick to sue, like they do every time President Trump tries to do something, and a judge in San Francisco says, yes, the ALCU is right. You have the right to enter illegally and claim asylum. Do they understand what they did? They took the people out of safety and security of port of entry and put them back in hands of criminal organizations who don't care about them.

I've just given you many examples of criminal organizations that kill or left people to die. So they took them out safety of a port of entry and put them back in the hands of criminals, not a good move.

CHAFFETZ: The rapes and the just exploitation of these people that are coming through, I don't know who to tell. I don't know how you and others who have served to this nation protecting our borders, how you tell the good ones from the bad ones. But it's not just the human trafficking, right?

Let's talk about all the other things that are coming up through that border that we say we're in opposition to, from drugs and -- go through what you're also there to help protect the border? Why do we do this?

HOMAN: Nancy Pelosi said today that President was making things up about criminality on the border, terrorists coming across the border, diseases coming across the border, and I was shocked, because I know what the data says. I've done this for a long time.

ICE arrested 138,000 criminals. These are people -- criminal convictions with the pending criminal charges in the country this year. They didn't just appear in this country. They came illegally in this country through the border. So there's your example of criminality coming across the border. The most recent Caravan, over 600 criminals based on solid data. I can't share with you how we know that, but a solid data.

As far as disease, I've seen it. As the ICE Director we know every alien comes cross he has to go through TB test, because tuberculosis is common in many of these countries. There was a case two years ago when my doctor came up to me -- the ICE doctor. They had a case where man had a -- this strain of TB, they couldn't fix. It was drug resistant. So we kept him locked up. We worked with the CDC, trying to figure out how to treat this TB. Finally, after months they figured it out, but can you imagine, if he was released into the American society?

I mean our FRCs or a Family Residential Centers were shut down for Lice, Measles, Chicken Pox, I mean this stuff happens.

CHAFFETZ: Yes.

HOMAN: And as far as -- so the disease is there, the crime is there, I mean all Nancy Pelosi has to do, look at the data that's available to her and she will see what the need for that wall is.

CHAFFETZ: A couple of stats that were just absolutely stunning to me. When I went down to the border I visited the Eloy Detention Center there in Arizona. There were people for more than a 150 countries. This is not just about people in Mexico or Guatemala or Honduras coming North, this is the easy way into the United States, is it not?

HOMAN: Right. When I was the ICE Director, we removed people at 140 different countries and everybody says, well, your anti-immigrant, you are anti-Latino. I like to think I was an equal-opportunity deporter. If you're in United States illegally, you're going to be deported. When the judge orders, you're deported. So, again, -- so left is pushing this inaccurate message.

Let's go to the other question about drugs. This past year, if we look at the stats from the Border Patrol.

CHAFFETZ: Yes.

HOMAN: The seizures of fentanyl has doubled -- 184 percent. This -- now that killed 72,000 Americans this year and they've doubled the seizure of fentanyl on the border. They have doubled the arrests -- the arrest of MS- 13 members are up almost 200 percent. So there's your criminals, there's your gangs, and there's your drugs and there's your crime. So Ms. Pelosi, what you've got now?

CHAFFETZ: Look, there were something -- I think in November there were more than 60,000 people that were apprehended trying to come across the border. And it's a simple equation. I look at this and say, is a wall make it more safe and secure or less safe and secure?

HOMAN: Every place they've built the wall -- everyplace. San Diego, Yuma, El Centro, El Paso, every place they've built a barrier or a wall or a wall like barrier. The results have been decrease in illegal immigration, decrease in drug supply. Again, the data is there. So I keep hearing democrats, "Oh, the wall don't work", then you're ignoring the data.

Every place it has been put up it has worked 100 percent the time. So if this works what price you put on our national security and public safety? I talked to the President today, just a couple hours ago. Here's a man -- I don't think he's going back down on this.

And I pretty much say the same thing rusted (ph), stick to your guns, fight the good fight, because you're doing your job. You're protecting American people, you're protecting the sovereignty in this country. That is your job as a President and it's also a Nancy Pelosi's job, but rather than doing that, she much rather distract the Trump.

CHAFFETZ: No, I think, clearly, the democrats love the issue. But I don't think it resonates to the American people. I think they know that this President is fighting to secure the border. Last question, you've spent decades in this service. You understand the border patrol. You understand customs and immigration -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement. What do you think they would say to the President and the members of the Congress in the House and Senate that have to vote on this? Do they or do they not want a wall?

HOMAN: They want to all. The men and women on the border -- I wore that green uniform. They're asking for their government's help. Now if you go to National Law Enforcement Memorial, lot Border Patrol Agents have given lives to this country, a lot of ICE agents. Wall works, they know it. They're on the border. Give them what they need.

CHAFFETZ: Yes, there's nothing more frustrating. The ICE agents I've known, they work, they deport them and then that person comes right back in and they they're back doing the evil things that they are doing. A lot of good people that want to come North, but the message should be work through your embassy, work through the consulate, come in legally and lawfully, don't break the law to come into this country. When you get here, don't break the law again.

HOMAN: Well, I've said it many times. We're the greatest country on Earth. I can't blame anybody for wanting to be a part of the greatest country on Earth.

CHAFFETZ: Right.

HOMAN: But you can't want to be a part of this greatest country on Earth and not respect us laws. You can't have it both ways.

CHAFFETZ: Thank you for your service and Merry Christmas and god bless you.

HOMAN: Merry Christmas.

CHAFFETZ: Men and women who serve in our -- on frontlines they do an amazing job. Next Michelle Malkin and Larry Elder join us to discuss the absurd way Democrats are finding religion in their opposition to the border wall. We'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to this Special Edition of HANNITY. During the holiday season, America's left suddenly found religion. But instead of tidings of comfort and joy they used faith to bash the Trump administration over plans for a border wall.

Democratic wunderkind Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez tweeted, "Merry Christmas everyone. Here's to a holiday filled with happiness, family and love for all people including refugee babies in mangers and their parents (ph)".

Of course, the religious themed anti-Trump criticism continued on television. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. LUIS GUTIERREZ, D-ILL.: Jesus Christ, who had to flee for his life, with Mary and Joseph, thank god there wasn't a wall that stopped him from seeking refuge in Egypt. Thank god, there wasn't administration like this or he would have to have perished.

JOE SCARBOROUGH, R-FLA., FORMER UNITED STATES REPRESENTATIVE: What would Jesus do? That's -- well, that's where Jesus would be. That would be the issue. If you read the New Testament, if you read the gospels, that's exactly what Jesus would be concerned about.

REP. NANCY PELOSI, D-CALIF., MINORITY LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: I told him about Solomon -- King Solomon when he became -- when he was to become king of the Jews he prayed to god. He said how can I ever follow King David? King David, king of the Jews. I need you but give me great understanding and wisdom, lord. And if he prayed and prayed and prayed, god came to me and said, "Solomon because you did not ask for longevity, great wealth or vengeance against your enemies, I would give you more wisdom than anyone has ever had".

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Joining us now is syndicated columnist and author, Michelle Malkin and nationally syndicated radio host, Larry Elder. Thank you both for joining us. Larry, somehow I find these Democrats -- I find it to be convenient that they suddenly decide to lean on faith to bash the Trump administration in this season that's supposed to be filled with joy and -- how do you read it? How do you see this?

LARRY ELDER, SALEM RADIO NATIONAL HOST/ AM 870: I call them born-again evangelist, Jason. Where were these people when the DNC booed God when they tried to include God in the DNC platform? Where were these are born-again evangelists when people like Joy Behar are called Michael Pent -- or Mike Pence somebody guilty of -- having a mental illness, because he spoke to God. Where were these people?

It's amazing. The only reason they're invoking God is because they feel that that would be an argument that they can use. They're even using the race card. One pundit even called the wall racist. So once you call the wall ungodlike and racist, where do you go?

And it's amazing to me in a $4 trillion budget, Jason, they can't find $5 billion? How much did the stimulus package that Obama put together cost, that didn't stimulate? What about cash for clunkers -- a car for clunkers? All these wasteful programs. The money that we spend every year in the Department of Education -- over $50 billion that could fund two walls alone. It's ridiculous how much money the government wastes and they can't come up with $5 billion for a downpayment on the border wall?

And by the way, when they say Trump doesn't compromise, he's already compromised. $5 billion is not $25 billion. He's already willing to compromise with just $5 billion to start. It's absurd.

CHAFFETZ: That's right. He did start at $25 billion and is kind of backed off of that.

ELDER: Yes.

CHAFFETZ: But Michelle -- like, in the United States of America any American can worship how they want to worship. They can pray to they want to pray to and practice the religion of their choice. But I see these democrats, people I've interacted with in the past, suddenly find religion to bash the Trump administration. How is the average American, how does this -- how should this affect them or does it not?

MICHELLE MALKIN, CONTRIBUTOR: Yes. Jason, it really is stunning, the montage that you showed, and it's very rich, the same radical secularists who wage war on Christmas annually, now invoking the Baby Jesus to support their radical open borders policies. It's not any surprise, though.

This is really just a variation on the same tried-and-true theme of using children as political kitty shields, because they have no rational or logical defense to the policy argument that we should be completely defenseless on our borders.

To use faith, I think, is the most cynical ploy of all of the rhetoric that democrats use. And not mentioned, biblically and historically and geographically illiterate. The reason why there was no border wall in Egypt is because, of course, the Roman Empire was running things on both the Judea side of the border and the Egyptian side of the border.

And, of course, that ignores the plain reality that this analogy that somehow Mary, Joseph and Jesus have any identifying characteristics to the economic migrants who are flooding our borders is ridiculous. They had, of course, a legitimate claim to asylum and political persecution. And the argument of immigration enforcement advocates is, of course, that we need to be able to tell the difference among them all and we're not able to, when they're all just demographically flooding our borders and leaving us defenseless.

No Church.

CHAFFETZ: So, Larry.

MALKIN: No responsible church is going to argue that lawlessness is good for religious liberty.

CHAFFETZ: Yes. And look, we're going to -- we are the most compassionate country out there. We're going to take care of people. These are human beings, I get all that. But what's the hypocrisy of the Democrats and left.

Larry, I sat there for eight years on the Oversight Committee, partly as the Chairman, trying to get the Democrats to be interested in openness, transparency and accountability. But suddenly they've now kind of found religion on that side of it, now that Donald Trump's the President. How do you see it?

ELDER: Well they don't consult the bible when it comes to things like same- sex marriage. And where were these born-again evangelists when, Jack Phillips, the owner of the cake shop in Colorado was forced to bake a cake -- or they tried to force him to bake a cake for a gay wedding, even though it violated his religious convictions. If they're so concerned about people's religious convictions, where were they then? It's so much hypocrisy.

CHAFFETZ: Michelle, how do you see it? This isn't the only situation where they've done this? Again, accountability is something I hadn't seen him take in when the eight years of Barack Obama, but suddenly they've now found it.

MALKIN: Yes. They found all manner of religion. And to -- of course, to add to Larry's great litany thereof hypocrisy, where are they asking what would Jesus do about abortion? Who really cares about the welfare of children in this country? And I do have to, of course, call Nancy Pelosi to the carpet on that, especially, because she really has been the queen -- the beltway swamp queen of using children as political human shields when it suits her purposes.

And I want to say something, of course, because it is the day after Christmas, and our ICE and Border Patrol Agents have been under fire. And the unfortunate deaths of children who've been dragged across the border by irresponsible parents, let alone smugglers, enabling this kind of suffering, it is our ICE and Border Patrol Agents who've been the ones who've been responsible for keeping people safe there and preventing these kinds of manufactured global migration events in the first place, so god bless them.

CHAFFETZ: Listen, thank you both this night. And I think you bring up a good point Michelle. The men and women who serve overseas for our nation, we've got to be putting them first and foremost. And the men and women who are the first responders and border patrol and ICE right there on the border, we think of them this holiday season as well. But thank you for joining us.

Next, Mueller probe madness. We'll tell you why the Democrats impeachment plans may backfire. We right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: Welcome back to this Special Edition of "Hannity: Trump versus The Establishment". There's been no greater example of weaponized politics in the modern era than the Russia collusion witch hunt.

Tom Fitton, President of Judicial Watch appeared on Fox & Friends First this morning and summed up how the Mueller probe is fueling the democrats impeachment hopes this coming year. Let's watch.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TOM FITTON, PRESIDENT OF JUDICIAL WATCH: Even if there's an interim report given to the Acting Attorney General -- the Attorney General at the time, I think it's just going to be a vehicle -- continuing vehicle for enemies of the President to harass the President.

And you have internal enemies of the President where you've got the deep state in the Justice Department, the FBI et cetera. And now you've got this impeachment effort that is going to be pushed by the House. And Mueller, I think, is effectively a vehicle for impeachment fantasies of the House Democrats.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Democrats and their media proponents have told Americans time and time again their biggest hope is to impeach trump. Watch this.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

REP. MAXINE WATERS, D-CALIF.: Trump would like to redefine the law, the way that he wants to redefine it, but he's wrong. And, yes, I believe that he should be impeached. I really do believe that.

REP. DENNY HECK, D-WASH.: The writing's on the wall. The walls are closing in and this is the beginning of the end for the Trump administration.

SEN. BOB MENENDEZ, D-N.J.: It seems to me that the walls are closing in on the President.

REP. ADAM SCHIFF, D-CALIF.: I think the Justice Department needs to re-examine that OLC opinion -- Office of Legal Counsel opinion, that you cannot indict a sitting President.

REP. TED DEUTCH, D-FLA.: We have learned that there is now evidence that the President of the United States engaged in a felony to obtain the Office of President. The constitution could not be any clearer impeachment is the appropriate remedy for bribery, for treason, for high crimes and misdemeanors. It speaks for itself.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: Joining us now for reaction. Trump 2020 Advisory Board Member, Jeff Ballabon and Republican Strategist, Noelle Nikpour. Thank you both for being here. Noelle, I want to start with you. Democrats, they have this insatiable desire to impeach Donald Trump.

It started on election night. They wanted impeachment. They've been out there searching for a crime somehow somewhere. Are they going to be able to resist themselves or is this just too tempting for them? They've got to do it.

NOELLE NIKPOUR, REPUBLICAN STRATEGIST: I'll tell you what. It's really sad, Jason. I'll tell you who they're doing a big disservice to. They're doing a disservice to the people that elected them in office to work together with Republicans for immigration, for health care -- and focusing on Donald Trump.

And this whole thing started with Russia and collusion and it proved to be a zero. But they're not going to stop. I mean, they feel like right now is their -- its Showtime for them. And Jason, I feel like that they're going to drive it home.

And you know what's going to happen? I think in another year or two we're going to end up flipping the House back to Republicans, because if that's all they're going to focus on then we want people in office that are going to actually do something with the issues that we have at hand.

CHAFFETZ: Yes, Jeff joins me here in studio in New York. Jeff, the Democrats, they've been talking -- I've heard the word impeachment since before Donald Trump was even sworn in. Are they going to be able to resist themselves once they actually have that gavel?

JEFF BALLABON, TRUMP 2020 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER: Until this election they had, let's say, the corrupt coalition -- and all they wanted -- corrupt caucus. And all they wanted to do was beat up on the President and the more he did for this country, the better he did for their constituents, the more they turned against them and tried to just distract everyone.

Now, after this election, add to that, the clueless coalition, and the clueless caucus and the crazy caucus. So between the crazy to clueless and the corrupt, I think they're going to try and go for it. In meantime they've got nothing. I mean, absolutely nothing. If there were anything, obviously, we would have heard it before the last election in November. There's nothing there.

CHAFFETZ: Now, Noelle, they've already pre-announced -- Democrats have already said, there is some like 80 plus investigations that they're going to dive themselves into. I loved your visual reaction there. It's already exhausting and that hasn't even started yet. So how do you see this playing out?

NIKPOUR: Well, I mean, this -- everyone, I feel like has got Mueller fatigue. They've got the investigation fatigue. I think everybody is really ready for this to be over and finished with. There's only so much we can take after investigation upon the investigation on the investigation.

And I really do, a long time ago, when President Trump started the #WitchHunt, it really -- people were laughing. But it really is true. They have really gone above and beyond looking for something. it really is exhausting. I mean, really.

CHAFFETZ: Well, and that's.

NIKPOUR: . they need to get on for the other issues.

CHAFFETZ: Look, I used to be the Chairman of the Oversight Committee. And you had to have.

NIKPOUR: I know.

CHAFFETZ: .some evidence and then you went after the people. But if that's not the way this is playing out right now, Jeff.

NIKPOUR: No.

CHAFFETZ: And the message that it gives to those are surrounding Donald Trump is pretty scary, isn't it?

BALLABON: Listen, this is all that politics. And if the Democrats think this is the right thing for them to do, they're going to pursue it, I'm not sure this is the right thing for them to do. They're creating an atmosphere of resentment and hostility that's going to eat them alive. It's not just going to hurt America where republicans live. It's not just going to hurt congress now.

This is a long-term process. They're breaking down the rule of law. They are breaking down governmental institutions. I mean high crimes and misdemeanors, right? That's what we should be looking for. This is ridiculous.

CHAFFETZ: No, it has been a witch-hunt from day one. And we appreciate, Jeff, Noelle, thank you so much for being here. I've got to move on, though, because coming up outgoing Secretary of Defense Mattis gives one last Christmas message to the troops, stay with us.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

CHAFFETZ: WELCOME back to this Special Edition of "Hannity: Trump versus the Establishment". As Secretary of Defense James Mattis prepared to leave office, he had one last inspiring message for the troops serving overseas during Christmas. Take a look.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES MATTIS, SECRETARY OF DEFENSE: .since Washington crossed the Delaware at Christmas in 1776, American troops have missed holidays at home to defend our experiment in democracy. To all of you lads and lasses holding the line in 2018, on land, at sea, or in the air, thanks for keeping the faith. Merry Christmas, and may God hold you safe.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHAFFETZ: And sir, we thank you for your 40 plus years of service to this nation. Unfortunately, that's all the time we have left this evening. If you haven't already, be sure to check out my book, " The Deep State: How an Army of Bureaucrats Protected Barack Obama and Is Working to Destroy the Trump Agenda".

As always, thank you for being with us. We appreciate you being here. I will be back in the studio tomorrow night as well, so be sure to stay tuned and join us tomorrow night as well. But we have Lisa Boothe up next who is filling in for Laura Ingraham. Lisa?

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