I am Maureen Cavanaugh it is Thursday, May 17. A top story on Midday Edition, supporters of President Donald Trump are scrambling to explain a remark he made while speaking to a group of California Republican leaders in the White House yesterday. Trump told the group that there are dangerous people trying to come into our country from Mexico. He said quote these are not people these are animals. The controversy over that line has shadowed some of the other aspects of the White House meeting which included San Diego County supervisor Kristin Gaspar and Escondido Mayor Sam obit. Joining me is KQED's politics and Republican editor Scott Schaefer. Supervisor Gaspar and Escondido Mayor Sam a bed were joined by around table full of other state Republicans. Remind us about the purpose of the meeting. >> The purpose was to bring together local officials from Southern California who are the resistance to the resistance if you will. These are people who are local law enforcement officials, local elect did officials, supervisors, the mayor of Los Alamitos, they are opposed to California's new sanctuary state law that Governor Barone signed into law and they say it is a threat to their local community and public safety. This goes nicely with the President and the Republican Party's agenda of holding onto the house. They are trying to elevate this issue in hopes that it will help them in the midterm elections. >>> We reached out to Crispin Gaspar for an interview. Here is a clip of what she had to say yesterday and talking about unauthorized immigrants who commit crimes. >> You can either be across the border in a matter of minutes and shielded by Mexico, or you have the option of simply staying put. Shielded by Governor -- >>> That Governor Moonbeam references Governor Brown and what President Donald Trump refers to Governor Broadus. Gaspar is running in the 49th District congressional race that is the district Issa barely 1 reelection and in 2016 largely due but her opposition to President Donald Trump. Why do you think could be Gaspar's politically strategy on this? >> I'm thinking she is hoping to get into the runoff by coming in second. Rocky Chavez is well ahead of those calls. The Republicans would like nothing better than to shut out the Democrats. There are several Democrats running who have money and some name Identification. They hope that by elevating the issue making Gaspar the spokesperson for this issue in the congressional race, it will help give her the recognition and voter support to elevate her into the runoff with Chavez. We will see if it works. I think that is why she offered the resolution that the County Board of Supervisors to support the administration's lawsuit against California. She is trying to get publicity it seems to be working. >>> Escondido Mayor Sam Abed seem to like to speak about his views to the president. Here's what he had to say. >> And Jerry Brown had cares more about illegal criminals than he does about the epistemic -- Hispanic community and Americans this is insanity. >>> The mayor went on and some length during the conversation, didn't he? >> You can be imagining being a small town mayor and now you're at the White House at the table with the President. You're on national television live. It is heady stuff. Have to say the statement he made is not accurate at all. Jerry Brown was skeptical of the sanctuary state law. He made it clear to Democrats that they needed to revise it. They had to do things like carveout state prison so it does not apply to state presence. He made sure that there is there was a violent criminal and County jail, they would be able to contact ice and let them no. So as we said like he said Jerry Brown cares more about illegal immigrants than he does about public safety is really a pretty serious misrepresentation of the truth. >>> Let's go back to the controversy over the quote the President made about these are not people, these are animals. Here his remark. >> We have people coming into the country or trying to come in and we're stopping a lot. We are taking people out of the country you wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These are not people. These are animals. We are taking them out of the country at a level or a rate that has never happened before. >>> Is it clear that the president was only speaking about members of the gang MS 13 when he made the comment? Speaking it was not initially clear to me. I had to go back and look at the context of it. Let's remember that this is a man who announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2015 by calling Mexican immigrants rapists and murderers. He has used the scapegoating of immigrants and conflating the very worst violent gang members with other people who come into the country illegally or immigrants more generally. Even if he was speaking specifically about this MS 13 gain, I think many people don't hear that distinction. It gives him a bully pulpit that he has is a president to cast aspersions on immigrants generally. That might work in some congressional districts, and California as we discussed the 49th where Issa is , but it can also hurt the Republicans who are tied with President Donald Trump who is unpopular in those congressional districts. It could be a long-term problem but a short-term gain for Republicans. >>> How had the remarks they received here in California. Governor Brown had something to say. >> He tweeted out and said the president is lying on immigration, lying on crime, he said that we here in the fifth largest economy in the world are not impressed. This is the latest in the series of volleys back and forth between the Brown administration and the president. He has used California as a foil not just in California but other states in the Midwest, more conservative states where some vulnerable Democrats are up for reelection in the Senate. The president sees this issue as a winner for him and his base and the party. Of course Kevin McCarthy the Majority Leader from Bakersfield was in that meeting today. He would like to be speaker and that can only happen if his party maintains control of Congress. He is hoping to hold onto some of those vulnerable Republican seats in California. He sees this as one ticket to getting there. >>> I've been speaking with KQED's politics and Republican editor Scott Schaefer. Thank you, Scott. >>> You're welcome.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday hammered California for its so-called sanctuary immigration policies, in what appeared to be his latest push to embolden his base leading into the midterm elections.
As the debate over immigration heats up on Capitol Hill, Trump surrounded himself with mayors, sheriffs and other local leaders from California who oppose the state's immigration policies and who applauded his administration's hard-line efforts.
"This is your Republican resistance right here against what they're doing in California," said California Assemblywoman Melissa Melendez, coopting a term used by Democrats opposed to Trump's presidency. She, like others, said the president and his policies were far more popular in the state than people realize.
"It's a crisis," Melendez said of the situation.
RELATED: California Leaders Opposed To Sanctuary Law Meet With Trump
They were responding to legislation signed into law by Gov. Jerry Brown last year that bars police from asking people about their immigration status or helping federal agents with immigration enforcement. Jail officials can transfer inmates to federal immigration authorities if they have been convicted of one of about 800 crimes, mostly felonies, but not for minor offenses.
Brown insists the legislation, which took effect Jan. 1, doesn't prevent federal immigration officials from doing their jobs. But the Trump administration has sued to reverse it, calling the policies unconstitutional and dangerous. Some counties, including San Diego and Orange, have voted to support the lawsuit or passed their own anti-sanctuary resolutions.
Republicans see backlash to the law as a potentially galvanizing issue during the midterm elections, especially with Trump's anti-immigrant base. And Trump has held numerous events in recent months during which he's drawn attention to California's policies.
During Wednesday's session, Trump thanked the officials, saying they had "bravely resisted California's deadly and unconstitutional sanctuary state laws." He claimed those laws are forcing "the release of illegal immigrant criminals, drug dealers, gang members and violent predators into your communities" and providing "safe harbor to some of the most vicious and violent offenders on earth."
Trump also claimed opposition to the policies was growing, insisting, "There's a revolution going on in California." He referred to some who cross the border illegally as "animals," not people.
Brown responded on Twitter, writing that Trump "is lying on immigration, lying about crime and lying about the laws of CA."
The Democratic governor added: "Flying in a dozen Republican politicians to flatter him and praise his reckless policies changes nothing. We, the citizens of the fifth largest economy in the world, are not impressed."
The event came as top House Republicans worked to head off an attempt by party moderates to force roll calls on four immigration bills. Republican leaders privately warned GOP lawmakers Wednesday that such a drive could damage the party's prospects in the fall's congressional elections by dispiriting conservative voters, according to people at the closed-door meeting.
RELATED: During Roundtable, Trump Calls Some Unauthorized Immigrants ‘Animals’
The House leaders fear the winning legislation would be a compromise bill backed solidly by Democrats but opposed by most Republicans, an outcome that could anger conservatives, according to Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., a leader of the effort to force the immigration votes.
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., issued the warning, said a second person who was in the room and spoke on condition of anonymity to describe the private conversation.
Asked about his remarks, McCarthy said his objection to the procedure was that it would in effect "turn the floor over" to Democrats.
House Speaker Paul Ryan said the petition would be "a big mistake" that would "disunify our majority." He said the leaders were "working with the administration."
The moderates said later Wednesday that House leaders were trying to end the immigration standoff and that they could soon see a specific proposal on how to do that.
"We're willing to see what this looks like," said Rep. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., a leader of the lawmakers trying to force the House to address the issue. Conservatives had their own session with party leaders and also suggested there had been movement, but offered no specifics.
Many of the legislators demanding action face potentially competitive re-election races in congressional districts with large numbers of Hispanic, suburban or agriculture-industry voters with pro-immigration views.
Earlier this year, competing bills aimed at protecting young immigrants and toughening border security — including one backed by Trump — collapsed in the Senate. The measures never received House votes.
The discussion also comes as the Trump administration is under fire for a new policy that is expected to increase the number of children separated from their parents when families cross the border illegally.
Trump, in his remarks, wrongly blamed Democrats for forcing his administration's hand.
"I know what you're going through right now with families is very tough," he told Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, "but those are the bad laws that the Democrats gave us. We have to break up families ... because of the Democrats. It's terrible."
But no law "the Democrats gave us" mandates the separation of children from their parents at the border. The administration is using protocols described in a 2008 law designed to combat child trafficking that gave special protections to Central American children at the border. While the bill was authored by Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, it unanimously passed both houses of Congress and was signed by Republican President George W. Bush as one of his last acts in office.
Nielsen on Tuesday defended the practice, telling a Senate committee that removing children from parents facing criminal charges happens "in the United States every day."
Trump also told Nielsen that she was "doing a good job," one week after berating her during a cabinet meeting for failing to halt border crossings.
Feinstein issued a statement accusing the Trump administration of "once again attempting to divide Californians and all Americans with today's White House meeting."
"Their decision to convene this meeting is about fueling fear of immigrants and scapegoating entire communities," she said.
