Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont on Blue State Border Security

With us around the table on places to say. It is Connecticut Governor at Namont, it's got things to send back, getting back to the office and getting back to work. I want to hear it is. I'm sure, Governor, good morning to you.

Got it the good day.

We're not going to stop that. I'm worried about that. We're going to start here. There's this big story about people fleeing blue states and go into red states. And we know those red states, and you've got a different story to tell. You're saying it's different for Connecticut. Why is it different?

Yeah, the Wall Street Journal keeps saying, boy, everybody's fleeing those blue states. They're raising taxes. That's why they're all leaving. Just the opposite. In Connecticut. We've had probably fifty sixty seventy thousand people move into the state over the last few years. We did cut taxes. I think that's one of the reasons. But also we kept things open during COVID. Our schools stayed open. People looked at our suburban lifestyle. So our city's coming back. A lot of young people

You said last time, you're a Bloomberg. If New York catches a sneeze, as we catch a cold in Connecticut, how are you dealing with the migrant crisis that we do see New York dealing with right now? Are you seeing an overflow into Connecticut.

We're seeing some overflow, curely, we're not being overrun like unfortunately. I see what's happening in New York City. I talked to Eric, I talked to Kathy quite a bit. You know, we've got our folks standing by. We're getting you know, motels and places in nursing homes that we had retrofitted during COVID to get people off the street. You know, we're ready, but still, thankfully we've got things able to take care of people.

Do you need more support from the federal government?

I do. I mean, I agree with the Democratic governors that we need more support from the federal government. I think especially true here in New York City. But also we've got to secure the border. We've got to be a lot stricter on the border. You've got to do both.

We've been hearing from this administration about what they can do going it alone. President Biden has talked about possibly closing the border. Are you hoping he does that?

I am. I am. Look I call the Republican's bluff. You know, they're saying, President Biden, you're not willing to close the border, Give me the tools to do it, and I will do it. I can't figure out why they're pulling back now, saying it's not that much of an emergency, We'll wait till after the next election. I think that's the wrong move. Let's make the deal.

You've managed to cut taxes and you are in the black. New York is not in large part because of this issue. I'm just wondering, at what point does it challenge you're being in the black to be able to cut taxes and also deal with a pretty dramatic influx of new people.

Look, my heart goes out to Eric Adams. I mean, this is costing the city what four billion dollars plus per year right now. You know, at the same time, your capital gains revenue is going down, so it's hitting the city pretty hard. And your point, you know, we cheer on New York City. We are part of the New York City ecosystem. Everybody thinks we're sort of frenemys and competitive. You do well, we do.

Well, it's amazing to hit Democrats not to sound like Republicans on this issue even and I talked about this before. Do you get the sense that Democrats have been roped by reality on this issue? That we have this big, big issue down at the southern border for a long long time, and yet here we are now we need to confront it in blue states New York, Connecticut and elsewhere, and all of a sudden it's a problem we need to fix. Why wasn't that problem we need to fix before?

Yeah, mug by reality, I would.

Forgive me helped monks here in New York.

I pulled the lens back for just one second. We have the most successful economy on earth. People know it. That's why more people want to come to this country.

And it's ever before without a doubt.

But you're absolutely right, it only works if we secure our borders. Maybe Democrats were a little slow to get up the speed on this, some of us, you know, from this part of the region, we weren't a hit as hard early on. I think we all know where we got to be.

Now.

That's why it's so important that the Republicans don't pull back at this last moment. The balls on the five yard line. That's a football analogy and real football.

I thought I thought we were friends.

Let's get it into the end zone, just to keep you confused and see if we can get this done, then hold the president accountable. We got the tools to do it.

How fuls you think the president is on this issue? And how much distance is that between him and you?

I don't think there's any distance right now. He's come out strong. He said, give me the tools, I will shut down the border, the illegal immigration. He was very clear on that. Maybe you wish he was. He said that sooner he's saying it now. The balls in Congress's court. He god to give him the tools to get the job done.

But Governor was he clear on day one? On day one, he paused nearly all deportations. People say this was a signal to many countries that it is going to be easier to get into the United States now than it was under former President Trump. Was that a mistake.

People have been trying to come through our border for years, I mean under Trump. Remember during the mid terms, he'd been there for two years. He kept talking about caravans of terrorists coming up to our borders. So it wasn't like everything was a peaches and cream six years ago, and then it changed. I think we're serious now. I think there should be strong bipartisan support. Our Senator Chris Murphy is helping to lead those negotiations. Let's get it done, hopefully as soon as this weekend.

I think the reason why we're all talking about immigration and migrants is because in our poll it's starting to show that that's becoming more of a top issue for voters in seven swing states, which right now former President Trump is leading Biden. How concerned are you about President Biden being able to win reelection November.

I think at the end of the day, after we have exhausted all other alternatives, we go for the same course. I think that will be President Biden. But I think you're right. I think immigration is a very big issue. People think it's about age. I think he gets immigration right. Congress gives them the tools to get it right. We're going to secure the border. People feel a lot better.

What do you think of individuals like Representative Dean Phillips. He's not even saying so much that he's running to be president. He's running to get people an option. Should there be more options given the fact that poll after poll continues to show that Americans think President Biden.

Is too old.

Dean who, Dean Phillips, I know you know who that is.

That's fine.

I think in a primary process, I think a lot of options are good. I like a lot of different voices. At some point you got to consolidate around who you think are the most reasonable choices, who can get elected, decide who will make a difference on your behalf.

Not to shift gears completely, but I do want to finish up on the work from home question. And I know, I know, okay, but this is actually really important to you because I imagine a lot of people working from home were able to move to Connecticut away from the city, and I'm just wondering, as people do go back to offices, do you think that that inward migration is going to slow.

No, I think it's changed forever. I really do our rail service as such that we are picking up more people coming in and out of New York and Fairfield County. Fridays are empty. TGIF has a whole new meeting. Nobody goes Thursday is now party night. You know it's except for you. Thanks God bless you. So I think for Connecticut that means a lot more people say, Hey, I can have a lifestyle and Connecticut really great schools, living

Kathy's not listening this morning.

Hey Kathy to catch up.

Thank you, buddy, governor met in the month. Thank you, sir,