Senator Bernie Moreno is not playing games with the radical Left’s open-borders agenda. During a recent, fiery hearing, the Senator absolutely dismantled Minnesota’s far-left Attorney General Keith Ellison in a brutal back-and-forth that left Ellison sputtering for answers.
Moreno systematically destroyed every single talking point the Democrats use to justify the invasion at our southern border, exposing the sheer absurdity of their policies in real time.
It started with a simple, common-sense question that any ordinary American can answer. But for a radical leftist like Ellison? It was a trap he walked right into.
Sen. Bernie Moreno: “If you are in the country illegally or overstay a visa, should you be deported?”
AG Keith Ellison: “My simple answer is, sir, it depends.”
“It depends.” Moreno immediately called out this ridiculous double standard with a brilliant analogy that left Ellison scrambling.
Ellison tried to squirm out of it, claiming we absolutely should enforce them, but then immediately contradicted himself by arguing illegal aliens just need “due process” rather than deportation.
Moreno: “Okay. So if somebody breaks into your home, should they be arrested for breaking entering or does it depend?”
Ellison: “It’s an entirely different scenario. Because immigration is essentially a civil, and then breaking into my home is a criminal matter.”
Moreno: “Okay, got you. So there’s laws that should be enforced, so we shouldn’t enforce civil violations?”
Keith Ellison:
We absolutely should enforce them.
Bernie Moreno:
But you just said that it’s a civil matter, so it’s different. So if somebody commits a civil infraction, it shouldn’t be enforced?
Keith Ellison: It should be.
Bernie Moreno: Okay, so they should be deported?
Keith Ellison:
No, they should have due process that is associated with their petition.
Bernie Moreno:
The act of entering the country illegally—you think we should say, “Well, did you really do it or not do it?” It’s pretty obvious that they did, right?
Keith Ellison:
Well, it would depend on the facts of the situation.
Bernie Moreno:
I just gave you the facts. They entered the country without permission.
At this point, Ellison realized he was losing the argument badly and pulled the ultimate Democrat excuse: The “Asylum”. He claimed these illegal border crossers have a “good faith basis” to say they are fleeing persecution under “international law.”
That’s when Senator Moreno dropped the absolute HAMMER. He cornered Ellison on the undeniable fact that these so-called “asylum seekers” are passing through multiple safe countries just to get into the United States.
Keith Ellison:
But, Senator, what if they had a good-faith basis to say they would be persecuted in their home country and subjected to real oppression there under international law? There are provisions for them to make a case.
Bernie Moreno:
That’s a phenomenal point. Mexico and Canada—do you consider those to be safe countries or no?
Keith Ellison:
Generally, I do, but there are certain—
Bernie Moreno:
Generally, you do?
Keith Ellison:
I’ll just say this—
Bernie Moreno:
You border Canada. Don’t insult your neighbors to the north.
Keith Ellison:
No, I love my neighbors to the north.
Bernie Moreno:
Is it a generally safe country?
Keith Ellison:
Generally, yes.
Bernie Moreno:
So then somebody seeking asylum could certainly be safe in Canada and Mexico, no?
Keith Ellison:
If somebody—we do know that in Mexico, which is another country I truly admire—I think it’s a wonderful country. But there have been cases of persecution—people who have legitimate fear—
Bernie Moreno:
People aren’t safe in Mexico? Refugees cannot be safe in Mexico?
Keith Ellison:
Some might not be. What I’m saying, Senator—
Bernie Moreno:
Maybe we shouldn’t have a free trade agreement with them, then.
Keith Ellison:
I didn’t say that. But what I would say, Senator, is that we should hear their petition. We should at least hear it out. We should say, “Is there a well-founded, legitimate fear of persecution in your home country?”
Bernie Moreno:
That can’t happen in Mexico?
Keith Ellison:
Well, I think they should just follow the international protocols that existed.
Bernie Moreno:
It is—which is that you seek asylum in your nearest country when you are seeking asylum.
WATCH:
Extraordinary exchange
MORENO: “Mexico and Canada, do you consider those to be safe countries?”
ELLISON: “Generally I do.”
MORENO: “So then somebody seeking asylum, could certainly be safe in Canada and Mexico, no?”
ELLISON: “Now, so like, if somebody, we we” pic.twitter.com/7RB0ZWuU8I
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) February 12, 2026
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