WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) questioned Rodney Scott, President Trump’s nominee to be the Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection in a Senate Finance Committee hearing today.
Senator Welch asked how Mr. Scott plans to balance public safety while respecting migrants’ contributions to their communities and our agriculture industry, specifically discussing the recent arrests and detention of eight migrant farmworkers. Senator Welch also pushed the nominee on CBP’s limited hours at Land Ports of Entry between Vermont and Canada, as well as how CBP will work with northern border communities to protect shared traditions and institutions, like the Haskell Free Library and Opera House.
Watch the exchange between Senator Welch and Rodney Scott, President Trump’s pick to lead U.S. Customs and Border Protection:
Read excerpts of Senator Welch’s questioning below:
Sen. Welch: You’ve got a big responsibility, obviously, to have the border secure, criminals to be deported. But there’s also an element where the overreach in the power of prosecution and in the power of law enforcement—as you know better than anyone—is immense, can have some harmful consequences.
We’ve got folks working on dairy farms, and we just had one of our most prominent dairy farms—there was an incident there. That farm, by the way, has extremely good relations with CBP folks. These farmers understand the importance of the job. But there was apparently an ‘anonymous tip’ about somebody with a backpack that led to eight farmworkers being arrested—they’re now in detention. We’ve got to milk our cows. We’ve got to have access to labor. None of these folks have any criminal record, and really this is a question about priorities.
I’m all with my colleagues here on securing the border. I’m all with my colleagues on deporting criminals. But my goodness, we need farmworkers. How are you going to balance the aggressive efforts of the Trump Administration on the border and make distinctions between where you best can act in order to protect the public and not harm agriculture?
Scott: Thank you. So, Customs and Border Protection’s role is a little bit unique in that we’re focused on the interdiction aspect. So, we’re focused on people coming into the United States illegally at the borders or an international border, we’re not doing the interior enforcement aspects. But I will highlight that I don’t support asking law enforcement officers to not enforce the law that’s in front of them. And that’s kind of the challenge. I like highlighting the fact that we have a visa process now where it may not be the easiest on the planet, but it’s not as hard for employers to actually get guestworkers to come in—not a guestworker, but an HB1V…
Sen. Welch: This farm did that. But there’s always a dispute and there’s always a suspicion. These people, I spoke to the farmer, none of them have any criminal records, they’re all valued members of the community. And by the way, the economy—this is Franklin County in northern Vermont—has really benefited, obviously, by the wages that are paid, by the money that’s spent, and by maintaining these farms. I mean, these are real-world consequences for real people in Vermont. And I suspect, real people in many other states, especially along the northern border.
Scott: If confirmed as Commissioner, I’ll ensure that we enforce all of the laws that CBP enforces—immigration and customs—with humanity and respect and work with the communities. But I can’t apologize for actually enforcing the laws that Congress enacted and put on the books and asked us to enforce.
Sen. Welch: I’m not asking you to apologize. And you do have a point, because it’s on Congress that we don’t have a sensible policy on ag workers. That is on us. But you know what? We’ve got to do something about it. It’s horrible, what just happened to this farm—really terrible. These are all good people that are working there, and they’ve been separated from their families.
Land ports of entry in Vermont: We have a library that literally—you know about this—is between the border between Canada and in Vermont. And this is one of the challenges you face. Canadians come in the back door, which is on the Canadian side, and Vermonters go in the front door, which is on the Vermont side. And now we’re getting hassled about being able to maintain something that has served that community for 120 years. So, I get it that you’ve got to ‘enforce the law,’ but is it a real issue about Canadians coming into the Canadian side of a Vermont library to get a book?
Scott: So, I’m somewhat familiar with that library. I have not visited, but I’ve heard the challenges in both perspectives. The community, the history, the interaction, and then how like many times when we unintentionally create a vulnerability, how criminal elements will exploit it.
Sen. Welch: But there’s no criminal elements going to the Haskell Library to check out a book.
Scott: Well, they go in there, but it’s not to check out a book, I would agree. But my commitment to you is if confirmed, I will sit down and talk through issues like that. That we’re not going to make decisions in a vacuum.
Sen. Welch: I appreciate that.
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