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21 + terms and conditions apply. This podcast is sponsored by Talk. You know when you're really stressed or not feeling so great about your life or about yourself, Talking to someone who understands can really help. But who is that person? How do you find them? Where do you even start? Talkspace Talkspace makes it easy to get the support you need. With Talkspace you can go online, answer a few questions about your preferences, and be matched with a therapist. And because you'll meet your therapist online, you don't have to take time off work or arrange childcare. You'll meet on your schedule wherever you feel most at ease. If you're depressed, stressed, struggling with a relationship, or if you want some counseling for you and your partner or just need a little extra one on one support, Talkspace is here for you. Plus Talkspace works with most major insurers and most insured members have a $0 copay. No insurance, no problem. Now get $80 off of your first month with promo code SPACE80 when you go to talkspace.com match with a licensed therapist today at talkspace.com save $80 with code SPACE80 at talk.
Senator Ted Cruz
Welcome it is Verdict with Senator Ted Cruz Ben Ferguson with you and Senator do we have one heck of a show including Democrats calling for the release of the pro Hamas protester that has been arrested.
Ben Ferguson
Look, there's an old saying, tell me who you stand with and I'll tell you who you are. The Trump administration is rightly going after radical pro Hamas protesters who have disrupted college campuses with anti Semitic protests. The Democrats response is to stand with the pro Hamas protesters to make clear today's Democrat Party. If you are a Jewish student at a university, today's Democrat Party does not stand with you. I wish that were not the case, but it is the reality. If you are a radical pro Hamas protester whose chance we love Hamas who threatens Jewish students who engages in violence and unrest, today's Democrat Party they have your back. You might think that's hyperbole we're going to lay out the facts, demonstrate that's true. Not only that, but we've got two other stories tonight. We have Doge uncovering. This is the Biden administration gave hundreds of millions of dollars of loans and grants to children, to little kids. You want to talk about fraud? That's what Doge is uncovering. And finally, we have the Trump administration going after illegal immigrants using the CPB1 app to be an app for self deportation. We are going to secure the border. We're going to remove illegal immigrants. We're going to tell you all about that today.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, it's really a great story. We'll have that for you in a moment. I want to talk to you real quick though, about the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. After more than a year of war, terror and pain in Israel, all of Israel is brokenhearted after learning of the tragic deaths of the Beavis children who were held hostage in Gaza. And so many more are still hurting throughout the Holy Land. There is a real need and the need for aid is continuing to grow. And that is where you getting involved with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews has been truly incredible. The families of hostages, they're helping right now and other victims of the October 7th terror attacks. And with your help, IFCJ has provided financial and emotional help to hostages and their families and those healing and rebuilding their broken homes and broken bodies. But the real work is still just beginning. And that is why it's so important for you to stand with the people of Israel right now. Your gift will help provide critically needed support to families in Israel's whose lives continue to be destroyed by the terror and the uncertainty as Israel remains surrounded by enemies. So give a gift to bless Israel and her people. You can do it by visiting supportifcj.org that's one word, support ifcj.org or call them 888488 ifcj. That's 888488 ifcj or supportifcj.org so Senator, let's take people back in time to a campaign promise from the president. He made it clear that if you are one of these students that is from overseas has gotten a special, the special invitation, the ability to come and study in America and you are on campuses and you're, you know, act actually going out there and advocating for violence and, and, and taking over buildings on college campuses, we're going to kick you out of this country. Well, guess what? There was one radical on a college campus. This is exactly what happened Is ICE detained? And they said, look, we're going to revoke your green card. And now Democrats are protesting the arrest of the Syrian radical in New York.
Ben Ferguson
Yeah, it really is astonishing. And let's look at what happened in the United States following October 7th. Following October 7th, we saw protests on college campuses across this country, predominantly in left wing college campuses in blue states where radical pro Hamas protesters stood up and they denounced Israel. They chanted things like, we love Hamas, we are Hamas. They threatened Jewish students. They engaged in acts of violence, and they threatened even more acts of violence. And astonishingly, Ben, the Democrats were silent. You know, there are some folks who said in the wake of these protests, well, gosh, it's terrible, but they're happening all over the country. That's not right. They were only happening in blue states with blue elected officials. They happened in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, California, Washington state. They didn't happen to Florida. They didn't happen in Texas. Actually, in Texas, we briefly had protesters at the University of Texas and officials sent in police officers that arrested them all. And it was done within a day. The places that it happened, it happened because the university administrators agreed with the protesters and the elected officials, they had been indoctrinated in the leftist ideology that said Israel is the bad guy and Hamas is the good guy. Now, one of the things you and I have talked about at length, and by the way, if you did not listen to Monday's podcast, you should listen to Monday's podcast because we did a deep dive on the Trump administration, rightly cutting off $400 million of grants to Columbia University. Columbia was probably the single worst actor in all of these universities in terms of tolerating and celebrating these anti Israel, anti Jewish protests. But not only that, arresting a pro Hamas protester. And let me be clear, this is the first of many, I believe we will see many more of the pro Hamas protesters arrested and deported. And what I've said from the beginning, if you are threatening other students, if you are attacking America, if you are embracing terrorists and you're a foreign student, you should be expelled and you should be deported. And what happened? Mahmoud Khalil, who is from Syria, he came to the United States. My understanding is in 2022, he came to be a student at Columbia, he married a woman from the United States, he got a green card. So 2022 is three years ago. It's not very long. He got a green card very quickly. And in his time in America, he came into America and he organized anti America, anti Israel, anti Semitic pro Hamas protests. Now, it's interesting, there have been a number of people online, a number of leftists who are saying, well, this is free speech, this is allowed. Let me be clear. Under US Law, American citizens are protected by the First Amendment. Foreigners are not a visa to come to this country as a student. That is a permissive decision. And you do not have a right if you are a guest to this country to actively undermine America. Let me be clear to anyone. If you hate America, if you want to undermine America, do not come to this country. And the Trump administration rightly arrested and plans to deport Mahmoud Khalil for organizing anti Israel, anti America, pro Hamas protests. And what's stunning, Ben, what do you think the reaction of the Democrats is to this? They stand with Khalil. They stand with the anti Israel, pro Hamas protesters. So if you want to know where you stand, if you stand with Israel, if you stand with, with American Jews, if you stand with freedom, if you stand with the right to be free from oppression and violence, that ain't the Democrats. They stand with those engaged violence.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, it really is shocking when you hear it described the way that you just described it, that they're saying, no, no, this is our guy, this is our hero, this is who we want to advocate for and we're going to do this and stand with this individual. I look as, I'm like, okay, what's the play here? Is this to raise money? Is this, it's just so you think at the core, this is truly who they are.
Ben Ferguson
The Democrats are captive to their pro hamas space. So 14 House Democrats wrote a letter and I'm a quote from the letter, quote, we're horrified by the recent illegal abduction and now indefinite detention of, of Mahmoud Khalil, a US Permanent resident, by the Department of Homeland Security, DHS agents and we unequivocally demand his immediate release from DHS custody. That's what 14 House Democrats wrote. And here's what they continue. They said, quote, khalil has not been charged or convicted of any crime, as the Trump administration proudly admits. He was targeted solely for his activism and organizing as a student leader and negotiator for the Gaza Solidarity encampment on Columbia University campus, protesting the Israeli government's brutal assault on the Palestinian people in Gaza and his university's complicity in the suppression. And among the co signers include Rashiba Tlaib Ilhan Omar Dele Ramirez and Nydia Velasquez. So these are left wing Democrats and they're saying, when we see anti Israel Pro Hamas protesters. We side with the pro Hamas protesters. We cannot stand Israel. We oppose Israel. And we're horrified that the Trump administration is on the other side. I am celebrating that the Trump administration is on the other side.
Senator Ted Cruz
Let's also play for everybody. It was a very interesting moment at the White House, the White House press briefing, where the White House press secretary, she doubled down on this to make it clear exactly what you were saying about this administration. Take a listen.
Caroline Levitt
Well, in fact, Secretary Rubio reserves the right to revoke the visa of Mahmoud Khalil. And I'm glad you brought this up. Under the Immigration and Nationality act, the Secretary of State has the right to revoke a green card or a visa for individuals who serve or are adversarial to the foreign policy and national security interests of the United States of America. And Mahmoud Khalil was an individual who was given the privilege of coming to this country to study at one of our nation's finest universities and colleges. And he took advantage of that opportunity, of that privilege by siding with terrorists, Hamas terrorists who have killed innocent men, women and children. This is an individual who organized group protests that not only disrupted college campus classes and harassed Jewish American students and made them feel unsafe on their own college campus, but also distributed pro Hamas propaganda flyers with the logo of Hamas. That is what the behavior and activity that this individual engaged in. And I have those flyers on my desk. They were provided to me by the Department of Homeland Security. I thought about bringing them into this briefing room to share with all of you, but I didn't think it was worth the dignity of this room to. To bring that pro Hamas propaganda. But that's what this individual distributed on the campus of Columbia University. And this administration is not going to tolerate individuals having the privilege of studying in our country and then siding with pro terrorist organizations that have killed Americans. We have a zero tolerance policy for siding with terrorists. Period.
Senator Ted Cruz
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Ben Ferguson
So let me say my response to what Caroline Levitt said is Amen. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Look, there is a clarity to this. Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Democrats, so Dick Durbin and all the Democrats of the Judiciary Committee, they tweeted out a three word tweet. The three words are free Mahmoud Khalil. And then they have a picture of Mahmoud standing in front of some black iron gate. Now let me just ask you, who do you side with? If you side with radical pro Hamas protesters, you should be a Democrat. Look, they are the party of Hamas. They are the party of the radicals. If you actually side with Israel, if you side with Jewish students, if you side with America, if you don't like Hamas terrorists that want to kill us. Well, it is amazing the divide we have. And this is a simple clear divide. And I'm grateful for Caroline Levitt for making clear. Listen, a U.S. citizen. So it's interesting, I've tweeted about this quite a lot today and there are some lefties who say free speech free speech. You're right. An American citizen has a right to say horrible, noxious statements under free speech. And I will defend your right. If you want to defend Nazis, I'll defend your right to do that. If you want to defend Klansmen, I'll defend your right to do that now. But to be clear, I'll say you're an ignorant, bigoted racist for doing that. But you have a right to say that. But you know what? If you're not an American citizen, if you have a student visa or a green card, you are here on a permissive standard. We don't have to allow you to stay. And it says volumes that the Democrats say we would rather stand with Hamas than stand with Israel or frankly, stand with America. Hello, it is Ryan and I was on a flight the other day playing one of my favorite social spin slot games on jumbacasino.com I looked over the.
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Senator Ted Cruz
I want to move to this other story and the headline is one that is not a joke, it is real. Doge has now said that they have uncovered 312 million senator, in loans that were given to children during the COVID pandemic. Yes, to children like 9 year olds, 11 year olds. There was 312 million that was approved and given to children.
Ben Ferguson
Well, you said this is not a joke and sadly I wish it was. Here's what Fox News has reported. Quote, DOGE said it identified the Small Business association administration, I assume, granted nearly 5,600 loans for $312 million to borrowers who only listed owner was 11 years old or younger at the time of the loan. The loans were issued in 2020 and 2021 and it is unclear what they were used for. Quote. While it is possible to have business arrangements where this is legal, 593 loans as they all also use the Social Security number with the incorrect name. Doge and the SBA government are working together to solve this problem. This week, while making the announcement, Dosh shared a post on X from Tuesday where it also revealed that in 2020 and 2021, the SBA issued 3,095 loans for $333 million to borrowers over 115 years old. The borrowers were still marked as alive in the Social Security database. In one case, a 157 year old individual received $36,000 in loans. The agency said, look, this is, I feel very confident that nobody is 157 years old and if they are and they're getting $36,000, that is fraud.
Senator Ted Cruz
It's fraud. And we all know this. And look, this goes back to what President Trump said in his address to Congress on Tuesday when he talked about, he said there was millions of people aged over 100 that were listed on Social Security databases, with one being as old as 360 years of age. And I go back to Trump's quote there, I know some people who are.
Ben Ferguson
So I want to know is that guy the vampire Lestat, is he like literally an age ageless vampire who like flies with the bats?
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, right, exactly. And, and this goes back to Elon Musk and a job that he's doing that I gotta say rarely in my life, I thought there's a job that only one guy could do. Well, it seems to be Doge and Elon Musk because finding this type of waste, fraud and abuse is exactly what Donald Trump promised and they're paying off on it. But, but every American that pays Taxes should be enraged by the fact that we're giving this much money to people that are children or this much money to someone that's as old as 360 years of age.
Ben Ferguson
To be clear, if you're giving millions of dollars to a five year old, you're not, that is an adult engaged in theft. If you're giving millions of dollars to someone who's 150 years old, you're not, that is an adult engaged in theft. What this report indicates is that the Biden administration didn't give a damn about whether the money was actually going to real people who had real needs, who were engaged in the purposes for which Congress appropriated the money. Instead, they were just shoveling money out the door. And tragically, the fraud was rampant. In many instances, the fraud was going to radical left wing Democrat groups because the Biden administration believed in paying off their buddies. In other cases, they're just lazy. They don't care. When a six year old puts in an application for government money, the answer should be no, because you're six and you ought to be playing with blocks in kindergarten and not trying to get millions of dollars from the government. But if you're a corrupt Democrat, you give the millions of dollars and let the parents use it for the political purposes they want.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, no doubt about it. And finally, let's deal with a really fun story. And it deals with an app. It is I, I call it the Reverse Uno card. You remember that app that allowed for countless people to come into this country and just walk in knowing they were here illegally. And it was an app that was exploited by the Biden Harris administration. Well, we got a Reverse Uno card now center because we've got a new app and it does actually the exact opposite of that which is you can hurry up and self deport yourself.
Ben Ferguson
Well, it's beautiful. So the Biden administration launched an app called the CBP1 app and here's what Bill Nugent, who is the best reporter on immigration for Fox News, here's what he reported, quote, scoop. The Trump admin has repurposed the controversial Biden era CPV1 cell phone app into a self deportation app called CPP Home that launches today. DHS tells me any migrants who had prior CBB1 app will have it auto update to this new app and DHS can use data from prior CBB1 registrations to track migrants for removal. The new app allows illegal aliens and migrants in the US to register with CBP to self deport. They fill out biographical information including their countries of Citizenship, which country they plan to return to, their alien registration numbers, contact information, and it allows them to upload photos of themselves to confirm their identity. All of it then is submitted to CPB as they leave the country. You may ask yourself, why would an illegal alien want to self deport? In a statement to Fox News, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem answered that the question, quote, the CBB Home app gives aliens the option to leave now and self deport so they may still have the opportunity to return legally in the future and live the American dream. If they don't, we will find them, we will deport them and they will never return. Noem said the Biden administration exploited the CBB1 app to allow more than 1 million aliens to enter the United States. With the launching of CBB Home app, we're restoring integrity to our immigration system.
Senator Ted Cruz
This may be one of the simplest yet biggest turn of events for a win on law and order at our southern border dealing with the issue of legal immigration. I just got to say well done to the Trump administration on this one and they keep paying off on their promises to the American people.
Ben Ferguson
So Ben, I gotta say, I don't know if this is gonna work or not, but I gotta say, if you're an illegal immigrant, you came to this country, you went to a human trafficker, you were coming from, say, Central America, came up through Mexico and the Biden administration said, hey, we've got an app. Fill out your information, you come, come here and we'll let you in. And you filled it out, you came to America and suddenly over your cell phone you get, oh crap, wait, they want me to go home. And if I don't go home, they're going to find me, they're going to arrest me, they're going to send me home and the consequences are I can never come back. I don't know how many people are going to respond to this, but I think this is fabulous. Listen, my view on immigration is simple. I've summed up my immigration view in four words many times. Legal, good, illegal, bad. For the people who are here illegally, the Trump administration is leaning in saying, we're going to secure the border, we're going to remove you. And by the way, going back to our first story, if you were a pro Hamas radical, anti Semite protester and you're not a US citizen, bye bye, you're going to be deported, you're going to be expelled, you're going to be thrown out of this country. That is a view that makes an enormous amount of sense to me and we will see. And by the way, if we get the data on how many people have used this app, we'll report on this data on this podcast. But the simple act of saying, all right, the prior administration opened up our borders and let you in. We're now enforcing them. I say bravo, Bravo. Bravo.
Senator Ted Cruz
Yeah, no doubt about. Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Please hit that subscriber auto download button and share this podcast wherever you are on social media. If you're on X, share it. If you're on Instagram or Facebook, share it. Wherever you are, make sure you share this so other people will re. Will will be able to hear this podcast. It will reach new listeners. Without you guys, we don't do the show.
Ben Ferguson
So say so. Ben, Should I share it on Twitter? Should I share it on Instagram?
Senator Ted Cruz
You should. You should share it everywhere.
Ben Ferguson
Should I share it on TikTok? Even if the Chinese Communists don't like it?
Senator Ted Cruz
You know what? The Chinese Communists probably need to listen to this show and learn something.
Ben Ferguson
So yeah, share it on any damn app you can.
Senator Ted Cruz
There you go. See, you're catching on to the theme here. I like it. Hit that subscriber auto download button. Grab my podcast as well. The Ben Ferguson Show. I'll keep you updated on those in between days. And Senator and I will see you back here in a couple of days.
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Verdict with Ted Cruz: Detailed Summary of March 12, 2025 Episode
Release Date: March 12, 2025
Hosts:
Timestamp: [01:31] – [11:25]
In this segment, Senator Ted Cruz and Ben Ferguson delve into the controversial stance of Democrats supporting pro-Hamas protesters. The discussion centers around the arrest of Mahmoud Khalil, a Syrian national and student at Columbia University, who organized anti-Israel and pro-Hamas protests on campus.
Key Points:
Pro-Hamas Protests on Campuses: Following the October 7th attacks, left-leaning universities in states like New York, Connecticut, and California witnessed violent pro-Hamas demonstrations targeting Jewish students.
Democratic Response: Contrary to the Trump administration's crackdown, Democrats have publicly supported Khalil. Fourteen House Democrats, including prominent figures like Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, authored a letter demanding Khalil's release, citing his activism rather than any criminal conviction.
Senator Cruz's Critique: Cruz argues that Democrats prioritize ideological alignment with Hamas over national security and the safety of Jewish students. He emphasizes that while American citizens are protected under the First Amendment, foreign nationals do not have the same liberties if they engage in activities that undermine U.S. interests.
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz:
“[01:47] “If you are a radical pro Hamas protester whose chance we love Hamas who threatens Jewish students who engages in violence and unrest, today's Democrat Party they have your back.””
Ben Ferguson:
“[05:28] “If you want to know where you stand, if you stand with Israel, if you stand with American Jews, if you stand with freedom, if you stand with the right to be free from oppression and violence, that ain't the Democrats.””
Timestamp: [19:01] – [23:27]
Senator Cruz and Ferguson discuss groundbreaking revelations by investigative group DOGE, uncovering massive fraudulent loans and grants allocated by the Biden administration during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key Points:
Fraudulent Loans to Minors: DOGE identified approximately $312 million in loans granted to borrowers who listed owners as children aged 11 or younger. These loans, totaling around 5,600, were issued in 2020 and 2021, with unclear utilization.
Loans to Nonexistent Individuals: Further investigation revealed that the Small Business Administration (SBA) granted $333 million in loans to individuals with implausible ages, including a 157-year-old recipient.
Implications: The fraud underscores systemic issues within the Biden administration's distribution of funds, highlighting a lack of oversight and potential favoritism towards left-wing organizations.
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz:
“[21:14] “It's fraud. And we all know this.””
Ben Ferguson:
“[22:19] “What this report indicates is that the Biden administration didn't give a damn about whether the money was actually going to real people who had real needs...””
Timestamp: [23:27] – [27:56]
The hosts introduce and analyze the Biden administration's new application, CBP1, designed to facilitate the self-deportation of illegal immigrants, contrasting it with previous administration policies.
Key Points:
Functionality of CBP1: The app allows migrants to voluntarily register for deportation by submitting their biographical information, including citizenship details and contact information, thus aiding in their removal from the United States.
Administration's Stance: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem states that the app offers migrants the chance to leave the country voluntarily, preserving the possibility of legal return in the future. Failure to use the app will result in enforced deportation.
Senator Cruz's Perspective: Cruz praises the Trump administration for repurposing the app to strengthen border security, highlighting it as a significant move towards law and order. He underscores the importance of distinguishing between legal and illegal immigration, advocating for stringent measures against the latter.
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz:
“[25:59] “This may be one of the simplest yet biggest turn of events for a win on law and order at our southern border dealing with the issue of legal immigration.””
Ben Ferguson:
“[26:17] “Legal, good, illegal, bad. For the people who are here illegally, the Trump administration is leaning in saying, we're going to secure the border, we're going to remove you.””
Timestamp: [27:56] – [28:35]
In the closing segment, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson encourage listeners to subscribe and share the podcast across various social media platforms to expand their reach and influence.
Key Points:
Notable Quotes:
Senator Ted Cruz:
“[27:56] “Don't forget, we do the show Monday, Wednesday, Friday. Please hit that subscriber auto download button and share this podcast wherever you are on social media.””
Ben Ferguson:
“[28:22] “Should I share it on TikTok? Even if the Chinese Communists don't like it?””
“[28:32] “So yeah, share it on any damn app you can.””
In this episode of "Verdict with Ted Cruz," the hosts tackle significant political issues, including Democratic support for pro-Hamas protesters, fraudulent financial activities within the Biden administration, and advancements in immigration enforcement through new technologies. Through incisive analysis and compelling arguments, Senator Cruz and Ben Ferguson provide listeners with a critical perspective on current events affecting national security, economic integrity, and immigration policy.
Note: Advertisements and sponsor messages were present in the transcript but have been excluded from this summary to focus solely on the content-related discussions.