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A
Welcome. It is verdict with Senator Ted Cruz. Ben Ferguson with you. Senator, nice to be with you as always. And there is new intel coming out that the Biden administration may be welcoming a whole lot of refugees from Gaza as part of their new plan.
B
Well, that's exactly right. There's breaking news that the Biden White House is considering allowing refugees to come from Gaza, which would be an enormous national security threat. It makes no sense at all. We're going to talk about that and examine what they're talking about. We also now have new data on the cities that the Biden administration is flying illegal immigrants to all over the country. We've got numbers and breakdown. We're going to get into that. And finally, we're going to talk about a new bill that I've introduced. It's a bipartisan bill designed to limit kids access to social media and in particular to stop young kids from getting on social media and to protect kids from all the negative influences that can be found on social media. We're going to discuss that as well.
A
Yeah, I want to talk to you real quick about what's happening in Israel right now and a way that you can help and have a significant impact. It's been over six months since that first brutal attack by Hamas on our brothers and sisters in Israel. And since then, the attacks on Israel have actually increased with Iran and its proxies launching that massive attack of hundreds of drones and missiles. That is where your help is needed. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is on the ground now addressing all the urgent needs. And that's why I'm partnering with ifcj. And I want you to join me because your life saving donation can help provide security needs like placing actual bomb shelters in communities in Israel that need it the most. When the sirens go off, people have 15 seconds or less to give to safety. IFCJ has helped renovate as well as install nearly 3,000 bomb shelters to date. As Israel and her people live with the harsh reality of terror every day, your support will help address emergency security needs such as food and utility equipment for bomb shelters, flak jackets and other essentials for the people of Israel. So if you want to help, this is a way to help. And we're asking listeners to get $50 or any amount to help provide life saving aid. All you have to do is visit support ifcj.org that's one word. Support ifcj.org support ifcj.org Center let's talk about this plan. And I, I'm still trying to get my head around what the play is here politically, except that they're trying to signal to young people that are on these college campuses, hey, we're not in favor of Israel by any means. Stick with us. And then while all that's going on, they signal that we're going to allow a bunch of refugees to come to America. Why?
B
Look, it is absolutely crazy. The White House has put out a story. Here's the CBS headline, quote, white House considers welcoming some Palestinians from war torn Gaza as refugees. And what CBS reported is, quote, the Biden administration is considering bringing certain Palestinians to the US as refugees, a move that would offer a permanent safe haven to some of those fleeing war torn Gaza, according to internal federal government documents obtained by CBS News. In recent weeks, the documents show, senior U.S. officials across several federal agencies have discussed the practicality of different options to resettle Palestinians from Gaza who have immediate family members who are American citizens or permanent residents. One of those proposals involves using the decades old United States refugee admissions program to welcome welcome Palestinians with US Ties who have managed to escape Gaza and enter neighboring Egypt, according to the interagency planning documents. Top U.S. officials have also discussed getting additional Palestinians out of Gaza and processing them as refugees if they have American relatives. The documents show the plan would require coordination with Egypt, which has so far refused to welcome large numbers of people from Gaza. So understand this, Egypt, which is a direct neighbor of Gaza, is saying, we don't want these refugees here. And by the way, the reason the refugees don't want the Egyptians don't want them there is they're afraid of terrorism. They're afraid that there are too many Hamas terrorists that are part of the so called refugees and they don't want them committing acts of terrorism and violence in Egypt. And yet the Biden administration is saying, well, heck, we'd love to have them here. Like, like this is a level of insanity. In the wake of October 7, in the wake of this grotesque terror attack that murdered 1200 Israelis, that murdered Americans, that raped women and little girls, the reaction of the Biden White House is, well, we need to welcome more of these folks into America.
A
Yeah. And the timing of this is incredibly questionable. You look at what the crackdowns that we're finally seeing on college campuses right now, Senator, we're seeing hundreds that have been arrested, for example, at Columbia, other universities where this is happening as well. And the timing seems to be, in essence, perfect. It's like, hey, we're still with you guys. I know you guys are kind of getting rid of your encampments and you're getting arrested. But, but just know we really are on your side.
B
Well, it, it really is remarkable how terrified that the so called mainstream Democrats are of, of ticking off the radical left in their party. The Democrat has, party has a problem right now. It has a hard antisemitism problem. There is literally a pro Hamas wing of the Democrat party and we've talked about this before, it's not just the squad, it's not just the radicals. Joe Biden is terrified of them, Chuck Schumer is terrified of them, Nancy Pelosi is terrified of them. And they are really, they're really setting the agenda. It's why Joe Biden has so, so carefully avoided speaking out with any clarity on the topic. Because he wants the votes of the anti Israel, the anti Semitic protesters. He's trying to get support from them. And he and the other Democrats view that as a major portion of today's Democrat Party.
A
What does the oversight look like? And can they go around Congress completely to allow refugees in from Gaza? Specifically? How many could this be? How big could this program get?
B
Well, we don't know the answers to that right now. I will tell you in the Senate, the chances of there being meaningful oversight is really quite low. The White House gave a statement to CBS on Tuesday night that said the US has helped more than 1800American citizens and their families leave Gaza, many of whom have come to the United States at President Biden's direction. We have also helped and will continue to help some particularly vulnerable individuals, such as children with serious health problems and children who are receiving treatment for cancer, get outta harm's way and receive care at nearby hospitals in the region. The statement went on to say that the US quote, categorically rejects any actions leading to the forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza or the west bank or the redrawing of the borders of Gaza. The best path forward is to achieve a sustainable cease fire through a hostage deal that will stabilize the situation and pave the way to a two state solution. So the White House, remember these are internal documents from the government where they're discussing plans, hey, how many refugees can we bring from Gaza to America? And you've got US officials going back and forth on different programs they can use to do that. It's not clear who chose to leak those documents or what their motivation was. The motivation could well be what you suggested. It could have been a political decision by the White House to show some love to the pro Hamas wing of the Democrat Party. And that may well have been part of the Motivation. But in terms of oversight, look, the sad thing is, in the Senate, as long as Chuck Schumer is the majority leader, he has zero interest on oversight on this question. The Democrats have zero interest on oversight on this question. Remember, just a couple of weeks ago, I forced a vote on the Senate floor to block the Biden administration from giving additional billions of dollars to Iran to the Ayatollah. And, and by the way, Iran funds 90% of Hamas. So it was a very simple amendment. Stop giving money that goes to Hamas to kill Jews and to kill Americans. And every single Democrat but one voted no. That's where they are. So on. On bringing people from Gaza who could be terrorists, who could endanger the safety of American citizens here, it does not surprise me that's what this administration is talking about doing, because it's clear that's where their sympathies and their loyalties lie.
A
And the rhetoric's going to be exactly what you described, Senator. They're going to say, look, there's a lot of people that are innocent. You should be compassionate and loving, and those that need, you know, for humanitarian reasons. But 72% of Palestinians believe, quote, that Hamas's decision to launch the October 7th attack was correct. Which goes back to what you were saying a moment ago about other countries in the region saying, we don't want these refugees here because we're afraid about terrorism. Well, if 72% of Palestinians believe that Hamas decision to launch the attack was the right decision, then we have a real concern about who may be coming into this country.
B
Well, that's exactly right. And by the way, the polling you're citing, that's the results of the latest polls by the Palestinian center for Policy and Survey Research. And it was conducted in the west bank and the Gaza Strip between November 22nd and December 2nd of 2003. And that period witnessed the October 7th launch. So this was little bit over a month after October 7th. Uh, and I. I gotta tell you, those numbers. 72%. The sample size of the poll was 1231 adults, of whom 750 were interviewed face to face in the West bank and 481 in the Gaza Strip in 121 randomly selected locations. And so if you look at this, and we also know in the Gaza Strip, residents were interviewed in 24 shelter locations, of which 20 belonged to UNRA, the UN agency that Hamas terrorists worked for, and four to governmental institutions. A total of 250 interviews were covered in these shelters. Another 21 were conducted in the homes of relatives and friends of displaced people from the north. And the numbers, uh, findings indicate that a majority of respondents believe that Hamas decision to carry out the offensive is correct and believe that the attack came in response to, quote, settler attacks on the Al Aqsqa mosque and west bank residents and for the release of Palestinian prisoners. Um, those numbers. And, and it goes on to say, the poll says it is worth noting that there are significant differences between the attitudes of the residents of the west bank compared to the Gaza Strip in terms of the correctness of, Of Hamas's decisions, as the attitude of Gazans tend to show a greater degree of skepticism of that decision. I'll tell you the videos I've watched of October 7th, when Hamas terrorists are coming back to Gaza and, and they're coming back to Gaza and they're bringing Israeli hostages, they're bringing women, they're bringing children that are beaten, that are bleeding. Some of them have gunshot wounds. Some of them have. Have, you know, very, very serious injuries. They're dragging them out of the truck, into the truck. Some of them have, have injuries that are consistent with. With. With violent, forcible rape. They're. They're bleeding from, from their. Bleeding from where they would. Being the victims of those kinds of attacks. And the reactions, Ben, of Palestinians in Gaza is you see hundreds of them cheering in celebration as they are watching these hostages dragged out, clearly suffering serious abuse. And we're not talking just the Hamas terrorists. We're talking just in the town square when they come back. The reaction is cheering. Who the hell in their right mind would say, you know, what we really need is the people committing these atrocities, the people cheering on these atrocities. We need them here in America. That sounds like a great idea.
A
Yeah. And then the other question I have for you, final question on this is we've seen this administration be incredibly deceptive towards the American people, towards the taxpayers. We've seen them fly flights, which we're going to talk about in a minute, into random cities in America without giving notice to those cities. I'm assuming if they want to start importing people from Gaza, they would use the same exact tactics as they've been using all over the country in the middle of the night.
B
I think that is absolutely right. They would do it surreptitiously. They would hide it. That's how they've handled this border invasion. They lie about it. Alejandro Mayorkas still says our southern border is secure. They're perfectly happy to lie about it. And listen, from day one, the Biden administration has undermined Israel and has sent money to people who hate us and people who want to kill us. They've sent billions of dollars to Iran, they've sent hundreds of millions of dollars to, to Gaza. That, that in turn has, has in, almost, almost certainly flowed to Hamas. And, and they want to continue doing that. That, that is their commitment. And so I think, I think this threat is real. These people are zealots. These are, these are also people who look at the viciously antisemitic protests at Columbia and Yale and NYU and UCLA and say, you know what? We're with those folks and we need more people like them. And it's really, I think this is really revealing a divide that is frightening and scary. And it's not a divide that normal people in their normal lives encounter. It is the radicals who are more and more taking over the Democrat Party. And Ben, I want to dig a little bit more into these poll results because they're deeply concerning. So the results of the poll, as you noted, 72% of the public believe that Hamas's decisions to decision to launch the October 7 attack was correct. A majority, 53% believe that Israel's war objective is to destroy the Gaza Strip and to kill or expel its residents. And 42% believe it is to take revenge on Hamas and the resistance and to destroy them. A majority believes Israel will fail to achieve these goals. 85% have not seen any videos showing atrocities committed by Hamas against Israeli citizens on October 7 and over. Only 7% say Hamas committed atrocities against Israeli civilians. Let, let, let me repeat that cuz that is horrifying. They did a poll of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, in the west bank and only 7% will admit that Hamas committed atrocities against Israeli civilians. So, so, so their truthers who are denying October 7th even, even happen, 70%, 70% of West Bankers and half of Gazans expect Hamas to emerge victorious. That is deeply frightening. And, and the Biden administration is talking about wanting to bring to America a group of people of whom 93% of them deny that Hamas committed atrocities against civilians, which is indisputable. They filmed it and put out the videos. They're very proud of it. And yet this population is, is so radicalized that, that, that they don't believe it's true.
A
Yeah, great point there. Want to talk to you real quick about your morning routine. If you are like me, you start your morning off with coffee. Question is, how good is your coffee? And is your coffee woke? There's a lot of woke coffee companies out there. And if you're like me, I say no more wokeness. I'm done with it. I'm not giving my money to companies that hate my values and fight against me. Well, blackout coffee is the coffee I'm drinking now every morning. I'm on the radio 7am I've got to be up, I've got to be awake. I've got to be alert. And I'm not going to start my day off with an average or bad cup of coffee. I want a premium cup of coffee and that's what I get every single morning from blackout coffee. I want you to try blackout coffee not just because they're 100 committed to conservative values, from the sourcing of the beans to the roasting process as well as their customer support and shipping. They embody the true American values that we all love and hold dear. And they accept no compromise, which is the part I really love on taste and or quality. I want you to try it and I'm going to save you 20% off your first order right now. Go to blackout coffee.com verdict use the coupon code verdict for 20% off your first order. Now if you love traditional coffee, you're going to be great. But if you like flavored coffee, oh my gosh, they have got some amazing flavor coffee, including a cinnamon coffee. That's just phenomenal. If you travel, check out their instant coffee. I travel with it. It is also topnotch. So upgrade your coffee and get rid of the woke agenda of many coffee companies. Blackout Coffee.com verdict that's Blackout Coffee.com verdict and use the coupon code verdict for 20% off your first order. Be awake, not woke. That's Blackout Coffee.com verdict Senator, I want to pivot to something we just mentioned a moment ago, and that was we there's real consensus in the polling data that Biden's border policy and specifically when it comes to safety and national security issues is disastrous. But we're learning now more about internal Department of Homeland Security Data revealing the 45 plus US cities that hundreds of thousands of migrants have flown into via the Biden administration's mass parolee program that they refuse to disclose the public where all of these illegal immigrants are being dropped off. And you apparently have no right to know who they are or even where they're coming from.
B
Well, that's exactly right, Ben. And we did a pod on this topic when the story first broke about the Biden administration's program that wasn't just dealing with illegal immigrants who cross the border and stream across our southern border, but actually was arranging flights to come in for illegal immigrants to come into cities all across the country. And at the time the Biden administration's position was we're not gonna tell you where they're coming. We can't tell you because it's a national security risk. And so they, they refused to tell us. Well, we now have data from DHS that that covers an eight month period. So it is from January through August of 2023. Uh, and there are about 200,000 illegal immigrants who flew into the U. S using the program. And, and, and we, we have the breakdown. Let me give you the top 15 cities and how many came. The number one city the Biden administration flew people illegal immigrants into was Miami, Florida 91,821. The number two city, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 60,461. The number three city, New York City, 14,827. Number four, you're in my hometown, Houston, Texas 7,923. Number five, Orlando, Florida 6,043. Number six, Los Angeles, California 3,271. Number seven, Tampa, Florida 3,237. Number eight, Dallas, Texas 2,256. Number nine, San Francisco, California 2052. Number 10, Atlanta, Georgia 1796. Number 11, New York, Newark, New Jersey 1498. Number 12, Washington D.C. 1472. Number 13, Chicago, Illinois 497. Number 14, Las Vegas, Nevada 483 A number 15. Rounding out the top 15, Austin, Texas with 171. And, and, and so those are now what's striking. They're sending the vast majority of the illegal immigrants in this program to Florida and Texas. Florida is getting hammered. Just Miami and Fort Lauderdale have over 150,000 that, that are going there. And actually blue cities and blue states get relatively few. So, so they're really hammering Florida and Texas. That's one obvious conclusion of this. Uh, a, a, a, a second conclusion. Look dh, the White House is trying to spin. Well no, no, these are not illegal immigrants cuz we're, we're letting them in using legal authorities. Well I can tell you that that in litigation. Here's what DHS wrote, uh, in response to a subpoena quote, DHS said all individuals paroled into the United States are by definition inadmissible, including those paroled under the CHNV processes, which is what this, this program is. And, and, and to give you a sense of the numbers on this program, CBP says at least 404,000 illegal immigrants have flown to the US using this program. And the breakdown, we know of 154,000 Haitians, 95,000 Venezuelans, 84,000 Cubans and 69,000 Nicaraguans.
A
This is again the reason why they were trying to hide this. It's also the reason why they have not been informing state, we're talking about governors or local municipalities of who they're bringing in because they knew there would probably be a lot of people that would say, no, we don't want to deal with this. No, please, please don't drop them off here.
B
Well, that's right. And it's interesting also. So the number three city was New York City and the number again was 14,827. So it was a lot less than went to Miami or Fort Lauderdale. What's interesting, though is we know that the mayor of New York, a liberal Democrat who has declared it a crisis, said it's an emergency, said illegal immigration is destroying New York City. He has blamed what he called that madman from Texas. And as we've talked about, I'm actually disappointed that he's talking about Greg Abbott, not me. I wonder what I have to do to qualify for that insult from the mayor of New York City. But Texas has sent to New York City roughly 10,000 illegal immigrants. So if he's blaming that madman, well, Joe Biden has sent 14,827. And that's just using this one program that doesn't measure the other thousands that Biden has sent that cross the border illegally on the southern border and that Biden put on a bus or a plane. But yet the Democrat mayor of New York can't actually blame the person responsible, which is Biden and for that matter, Chuck Schumer and every other Democrat in Congress.
A
Will this change, move the needle at all, do you think? Because we know where Mayor Adams has now been saying and we know about even in places like Colorado where they're having to get rid of people in law enforcement for goodness sakes, and letting people go in New York to cover for the cost that it is to take care of all of these illegal immigrants. At least seeing the disclosures and the number of people involved, could this move the needle a little bit?
B
Well, ask yourself this. How many of the home newspapers where this data were reported actually covered it? How many of them covered it on the front page? How many of them had a headline? I feel confident that the New York Times in New York City does not have a headline. Biden administration flew 14,827 illegal immigrants to New York City. That I would be surprised if you can read it anywhere in the New York Times and if you look at newspaper by newspaper, I certainly haven't read it in the Chronicle in Houston. Houston was number four. It may have been covered in the Chronicle. I haven't searched it. But, but you know, the media doesn't want to cover these numbers. You know that Democrats don't want to admit these numbers. And so their plan is going to be the same as their plan consistently has been, which is ignore the crisis, pretend it's not happened, count on the silence and complicity of the media to cover this up. Because I gotta say, if you live in any of those 15 cities, you ought to be off. And by the way, you know, I gave the numbers of the biggest group that has been flown in are Haitians and it was at least 154,000 Haitians we've talked about. One of those Haitians was flown to Boston, Massachusetts and he was just recently arrested for raping a 15 year old girl who is severely mentally handicapped. And, and I gotta say, if you're the parents of that girl and the Biden administration literally flew the, flew the rapist from Haiti to Boston and then released him where, where he attacked your daughter. I, I can't imagine the frustration at, at the utter insanity of that policy.
A
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B
Well, this is legislation I introduced this week and it's bipartisan legislation. I teamed up with Brian Schatz, who's a Democrat from Hawaii and, and the bill is called the Kids Off Social Media act and it does several things. Uh, number one, it prohibits children under 13 from accessing social media. So kids, there's no reason for an 8 or 9 year old to be on TikTok or to be on social media. And, and there are a lot of harmful things I'll, I'll tell you, listen, you and I are both parents and any parent who is dealing with, I'm dealing with teenagers. Your kids are not teenagers yet, but if you blink, they will be. Any parent dealing with teenagers or adolescents, how to deal with phones and social media is one of the greatest challenges because phones are really a portal for kids to access all sorts of harmful content. And so this bill says if you're under 13, you can't be on social media. And then it says for kids younger than 17, big tech companies are prohibited from using algorithmic boosting to send messages to them. So we know right now, and there's been a lot of testimony in the Senate that big tech companies send messages to our kids, to our teenagers that are really harmful. That they, they send messages that undermine their body image. They send messages that encourage self harm. They send messaging that, that increases suicidal ideation. They send messages that that increases, increases their feelings of depression and anxiety. They send messages encouraging dangerous behavior. They send messaging pushing radical beliefs, things like pro Hamas beliefs. And so this Bill says If you're under 17, Big Tech cannot target using algorithmic boosting to send messages that are addicting and that are harmful. And then the bill also includes a separate bill that I had introduced previously, and I introduced it with John Fetterman. It was also by bipartisan and. And my separate bill was called the Eyes on the Board Bill. And the Eyes on the Board bill, which is now part of this bill, says that any school that receives federal funds has to block social media on campus. And the basic idea is while our kids are in school, they ought to be listening to teacher. They ought to be doing schoolwork. They don't need to be posting on Instagram while they're in school. For older kids, they can do that when they get home. But at school, they ought to be focused on the schoolwork.
A
Yeah, they should be. And this is legislation that you mentioned is bipartisan here. What does it look like, the chances of this moving forward, since it is a bipartisan piece of legislation.
B
So I'm actually quite optimistic. We are likely to have a markup in the Senate Commerce Committee next week. I'm the ranking member, the senior Republican on the Commerce Committee. And I think it's, it, it is very likely to pass the Commerce Committee with overwhelming bipartisan support. I think there's a good chance it'll pass unanimously, and I think there is a good prospect of this bill being passed into law. There are two other bills called COSA and COPPA that are both dealing with things like online predators targeting kids. And I think there's a real possibility of all three of these bills being put together and brought to the Senate floor. And I'm hopeful we can pass all three of them.
A
We'll keep you updated on it. It's so important, especially children under 13 from, from having access these social media sites. And, and also, as you mentioned, programming those algorithms for teens younger than 17. This is really important. Job well done. And we'll keep everybody updated on how this looks moving forward.
B
Well, that's right. And you look, I'll say something also as a parent. I mean, I mean, these are hard issues. And one of the things I talk to a lot of parents, I, I don't know a parent who disagrees on this issue. And that's true. Right or left. That's true. Regardless of politics, we're all worried about our kids. I mean, it's really, it's hard to be a teenager right now. The pressures on our kids. You and I didn't have these kind of pressures when we were teenagers. It's really tough. What is all of the influences that are pounding our kids. And it's hard to be a parent right now. And one of the challenges, because some people say, well, parents ought to just restrict this. Look, it is a hard dynamic when your kid, when every student in their class is on the social media platform, when that's how the kids communicate, when that's how they schedule play dates, when that's how they interact. No parent wants to socially ostracize their kids. And so a lot of parents will talk to each other and say, I wish they were all off of it, but I'm not willing to have my kid the only one that's not able to interact with their peers and have a social life. And that's one of the reasons why, you know, it's interesting in the Senate, the folks that are coming together and supporting this bill, so myself and Brian Schatz and we've also got Katie Britt, we're all about the same age. We're all in our 40s or 50s. We all have kids the same age. I have to say the senators are there in their 70s or 80s. They don't quite get this issue in the same way that if you're a parent, you're dealing with it. And so I'm hopeful that we'll see some real bipartisan agreement that we ought to enhance the tools parents have to keep their kids safe.
A
Yeah, great point. We're going to keep you updated on this legislation as it moves forward. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday, Friday and a week in review on Saturdays. Hit that subscribe follow our auto download button wherever you're listening this podcast so you do not miss a episode. Also, on those in between days, download my podcast, the Ben Ferguson Podcast, and I will keep you updated on the latest breaking news that is happening on those in between days. And the senator and I will see you back here on Saturday for a week in review.
The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson – Detailed Summary
Episode Title: Biden Considers Bringing Hamas Terrorists to America plus Secret Flights Carrying Illegals to US Cities
Release Date: May 3, 2024
Host: Ben Ferguson
Guest: Senator Ted Cruz
Produced by: Premiere Networks
In this gripping episode of The 47 Morning Update, host Ben Ferguson engages in a candid discussion with Senator Ted Cruz, addressing two pressing national security concerns: the Biden administration's potential plan to resettle refugees from Gaza and the clandestine mass parolee program funneling illegal immigrants into major U.S. cities. The conversation delves deep into the implications of these policies, exploring their impact on American security and the political landscape.
Breaking News on Gaza Refugees
Senator Ted Cruz opens the dialogue by highlighting recent intelligence suggesting that the Biden administration is contemplating allowing refugees from Gaza to seek asylum in the United States. Cruz expresses strong opposition, labeling the plan as an "enormous national security threat" that "makes no sense at all" (00:16).
Internal Government Discussions
Cruz references internal federal documents obtained by CBS News, revealing that senior U.S. officials have been exploring various avenues to resettle Palestinians from Gaza, particularly those with immediate family ties to American citizens or permanent residents. One proposal involves utilizing the longstanding U.S. refugee admissions program to welcome Palestinians who have escaped Gaza into neighboring Egypt—a country currently resistant to accepting large numbers of refugees due to fears of terrorism (02:55).
Political Motives and Oversight
Cruz criticizes the timing of this refugee plan, suggesting it coincides strategically with crackdowns on pro-Israel sentiments on college campuses. He posits that the administration is aiming to garner support from the pro-Hamas faction within the Democratic Party by signaling compassion amidst internal party conflicts (05:03).
Public Support for Hamas Actions
Cruz brings attention to polling data indicating that a significant majority of Palestinians believe Hamas's actions, including the October 7th attacks, were justified. Specifically, 72% of Palestinians surveyed believe Hamas's decision was correct, raising alarms about the potential security risks of these refugees entering the U.S. (09:19).
Atheoretical Poll Methodology Critique
Addressing the credibility of the polls, Cruz points out that the surveys were conducted shortly after the October attacks and may not fully represent the broader Palestinian population's views. Nonetheless, he underscores the concerning trend of widespread support for Hamas within these communities, which poses a direct threat to American citizens if such individuals gain asylum in the U.S. (09:57).
Senate Oversight and Political Dynamics
Cruz expresses skepticism about the likelihood of meaningful Senate oversight on this matter, citing Democratic leadership's lack of interest in scrutinizing the administration's refugee plans. He recounts a recent Senate vote where Democrats overwhelmingly opposed blocking funds to Iran—a nation responsible for supporting Hamas—illustrating their alignment with anti-Israel sentiments and obstructing comprehensive oversight (06:47).
Unveiling Hidden Immigration Flights
The conversation shifts to the Biden administration's mass parolee program, which has facilitated the arrival of over 200,000 illegal immigrants into the United States between January and August 2023. These individuals were discreetly transported to 45 U.S. cities without notifying local authorities, posing significant challenges for state and municipal governments (19:01).
Top Cities Impacted
Cruz provides a detailed breakdown of the top destinations for these immigrants:
Florida, particularly Miami and Fort Lauderdale, bears the brunt of this influx, while traditionally liberal cities like New York receive fewer immigrants. Cruz criticizes the lack of media coverage and public acknowledgment of these numbers, attributing it to Democratic complicity and media silence (22:24).
Consequences and Local Reactions
Cruz cites specific incidents, such as the arrest of a Haitian immigrant in Boston for molesting a mentally handicapped girl, to illustrate the real-world dangers posed by this unchecked immigration policy. He underscores the frustration and helplessness experienced by affected communities, questioning the administration's prioritization of political gains over public safety (26:00).
Introduction of Bipartisan Legislation
Shifting focus, Senator Cruz discusses his newly introduced bipartisan bill, the Kids Off Social Media Act, co-sponsored with Senator Brian Schatz. The legislation aims to protect children from the negative influences of social media by:
Rationale and Impact
Cruz emphasizes the growing concerns among parents about the detrimental effects of social media on children's mental health, including issues like body image, self-harm, and exposure to radical ideologies. He highlights the bipartisan nature of the bill, reflecting widespread parental support across the political spectrum (30:49).
Legislative Prospects
Optimistic about the bill's passage, Cruz anticipates strong bipartisan support in the Senate Commerce Committee, potentially leading to unanimous approval and eventual enactment into law. He envisions the bill working in tandem with other similar legislation addressing online predators, thereby enhancing parental tools to safeguard their children (31:00).
In-Depth Analysis of Poll Findings
Continuing the discussion on Palestinian public opinion, Cruz delves deeper into the methodology and implications of the polls. Conducted by the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research shortly after the October 7th attacks, the survey revealed:
Cruz uses this data to argue that the proposed refugee plan could introduce a heavily radicalized population into the U.S., many of whom may deny or support violent actions against civilians (16:26).
Media Complicity in Covering Up Immigration Data
Cruz criticizes the mainstream media's failure to adequately report on the extent of the Biden administration's immigration policies. He notes the absence of prominent headlines in major outlets like The New York Times and local newspapers, suggesting a deliberate effort to downplay the issue and avoid public outcry (24:18).
Political Accountability
Highlighting the disconnect between Democratic leaders and the realities of immigration impacts, Cruz points out the Mayor of New York's misplaced blame on Texas Governor Greg Abbott for the influx, when in reality, the administration's policies are directly responsible. This deflection exemplifies the broader failure of Democratic leadership to address the consequences of their immigration stance (23:52).
In this episode, The 47 Morning Update delivers a critical examination of the Biden administration's refugee and immigration policies through an incisive conversation with Senator Ted Cruz. The discussion underscores significant national security concerns related to the potential resettlement of Palestinians from Gaza and the clandestine mass parolee program distributing illegal immigrants across U.S. cities. Additionally, the introduction of the bipartisan Kids Off Social Media Act highlights ongoing legislative efforts to protect children from the adverse effects of social media. With stirring analysis and compelling data, this episode offers listeners a comprehensive overview of the current political and security challenges facing America today.
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz (00:16):
"The Biden White House is considering allowing refugees to come from Gaza, which would be an enormous national security threat. It makes no sense at all."
Senator Ted Cruz (06:47):
"As long as Chuck Schumer is the majority leader, he has zero interest on oversight on this question. The Democrats have zero interest on oversight on this question."
Senator Ted Cruz (09:19):
"If 72% of Palestinians believe that Hamas decision to launch the October 7th attack was correct, then we have a real concern about who may be coming into this country."
Senator Ted Cruz (22:24):
"If you're the parents of that girl and the Biden administration literally flew the rapist from Haiti to Boston and then released him where he attacked your daughter, I can't imagine the frustration at the utter insanity of that policy."
For listeners seeking in-depth analysis and unfiltered political commentary, The 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson continues to deliver timely and impactful discussions on the issues shaping America today.