Trump: The only undocumented immigrants who appear for their court dates have the 'lowest IQ'
Following a debate question on immigration, President Trump said that the only undocumented immigrants who appear for their court dates are those with the “lowest IQ.”
Video Transcript
DONALD TRUMP: He had eight years to do what he said he was going to do, and I've changed.
JOE BIDEN: We did.
DONALD TRUMP: Without having a specific, we got rid of catch and release. We got rid of a lot of horrible things that they put in and that they lived with. But he had eight years he was vice president. He did nothing except build cages to keep children in.
KRISTEN WELKER: Vice President Biden, your response.
JOE BIDEN: The catch and release-- you know what he's talking about there? If, in fact, you had a family came across and they were arrested, they, in fact, were given a date to show up for their hearing. They were released. And guess what? They showed up for a hearing.
This is the first president in the history of United States of America that anybody seeking asylum has to do it in another country. That's never happened before in America. That's never happened before in America.
You come to the United States, and you make your case that I seek asylum based on the following-- on the following premise-- why I deserve and under American law. They're sitting in squalor on the other side of the river.
KRISTEN WELKER: President Trump, your response. 30 seconds and then we'll move on.
DONALD TRUMP: It just shows that he has no understanding of immigration or the laws. Catch and release is a disaster. A murderer would come in. A rapist would come in. A very bad person would come in.
We would take their name. We have to release them into our country. And then you say they come back. Less than 1% of the people come back. We have to send ICE out and Border Patrol out to find them. We would say come back. In two years, three years, we're going to give you a court case. You'd be Perry Mason. We're going to give you a court case.
When you say they come back, they don't come back, Joe. They never come back. Only the really-- I hate to say this, but those with the lowest IQ-- they might come back.
KRISTEN WELKER: OK, President Trump. Let's give Vice President Biden a chance to respond, and then we're going to move on to the next section.
DONALD TRUMP: You don't know the law, Joe.
KRISTEN WELKER: Vice President Biden, your response?
JOE BIDEN: Know the law. What he's telling you is simply not true.
DONALD TRUMP: Well check it out. They don't come back.
JOE BIDEN: Check it out.
