During a town hall on CNN on Thursday, Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-CT) responded to criticism of the large numbers of migrants who entered the U.S. under the Biden administration by stating that “immigrants who entered this country, they entered through the law as it is written.”

Rep. Mike Lawler (R-NY) said that “over 10.5 million migrants” came into the U.S. under the Biden administration and were released under catch and release and “border crossings are down from 189,000 in the month of February 2024 to just over 8,000 in the month of February 2025.”

Hayes responded, “I have to weigh in, because when we’re talking about the people, immigrants who entered this country, they entered through the law as it is written. So, we need comprehensive immigration reform that supports our farmers, our families, our DREAMers. Everyone who came to this country did not come here as a criminal. And my challenge with this administration is, even when they have been found to have made a mistake, have admitted it, and the court has ordered it, they refuse to just take corrective action. So, this is all punitive. It is not about border security. We can have border security and immigration reform. Democrats want border security as well.”

She added that “people who have committed crimes and don’t belong here…should be deported. But that’s not what we’re talking about.”