Q: do you believe we have a crisis at the southern border?

Gonzalez: Senator, I do not believe it is my position to opine …

Q: But you’re a member of a board of directors. You’re a director at an organization that has taken many such positions. So it seems to me you have taken a position. Your organization certainly has. You represent them. You’re a member of that board. You choose your time very carefully, as we established just a moment ago. They say that any restriction on the flow of illegal migrants—I want to be clear about this, illegal migrants—is abhorrent. It is a betrayal of American values. It’s cruel and inhumane. Is that your position?

Gonzalez: Senator, I am not familiar with that specific statement.

Q: You have also advocated for providing counsel, in fact, taxpayer-funded counsel, to every asylum seeker at our border. Do you know how many credible fear determinations the Customs and Immigration Service performed just in 2023 at the southern border?

Gonzalez: No, Senator, I’m not aware of that number.

Senator Hawley: 146K in 2023 alone. So you are in favor of taxpayer funding for attorneys for at least 146K illegals. Is that right?

Gonzalez: Senator, I was counsel on two matters that advocated for the right of counsel for a limited class of noncitizens.

Q: you specifically advocated for counsel to be provided at gov expense to all asylum seekers. I mean, that’s quite a position. So we’re talking about hundreds of thousands of people, illegal migrants, are going to get government-funded attorneys under your proposal. Is that right? Is that your position?

Gonzalez: Senator, any policy position that I have taken in my role as an advocate, I understand that I would be taking an oath … impartial …

Q: Do you still think that detaining people at the border is motivated by financial incentives and political calculations rather than any legitimate or evidence-based purpose?

Gonzalez: Senator, I’m not familiar with that statement.

Q: That just seems crazy to me, to say that enforcing our laws and detaining folks who are here illegally, crossing illegally, is motivated solely by financial incentives and political calculations. Do you agree with that?

Gonzalez: Senator, I joined the organization to support its mission to provide counsel—

Q: I’ve heard that answer, but do you agree with this? You’re a member of the board of directors of this organization that frankly has taken crazy positions over and over. I’m just wondering if you agree with these positions. So this is just a yes or no. Do you agree that detaining people at the border is motivated solely by financial incentives and political calculations?

Gonzalez: Senator, I am not familiar with that position.

Q: But do you agree with it? It’s from your organization that you sit on the board of directors of. Do you agree with it, yes or no?

Gonzalez: Senator, I’m not familiar with the context.

Q: Do you agree with it? You’re not going to answer my question. It sounds like, Senator, you could just say yes if you agree. That’s fine. But say no if you don’t. I mean, I’d like a yes or a no answer. It’s a simple question. You’re on the board of directors. They’ve issued this. Do you agree, yes or no?

Gonzalez: Senator, I joined the organization to support its mission.

Q: This is disappointing. I don’t understand why you won’t answer me. Are you afraid the answer won’t be popular? I mean, why are you distancing yourself from it now? Aren’t you still a member of this organization? You’re still on the board, aren’t you?

Gonzalez: Yes, Senator, I am still on the board.

Okay, well, so you don’t agree with any of these positions? You won’t say now whether you agree or not. Is it because they’re so radical?

Gonzalez: Senator, my personal position on any policy issue would play no role in the job that I would perform as a judge if I were to be confirmed.

Q: You don’t want police to enforce traffic laws? You don’t want the immigration laws to be enforced. You apparently think that any detention of illegals at the border is motivated by political calculations and is illegitimate, and you don’t want police to be enforcing traffic laws, but you want to be a judge. How’s this going to work?

Gonzalez: … to move enforcement of things like hanging an air freshener from a rearview mirror to …

Q: Frankly, it is full of positions that I think are just nuts. I mean, saying that things like running traffic lights, stop signs, these things can’t be enforced, that the police ought to get out of enforcement of traffic laws altogether. I don’t understand it. It sounds like to me you don’t want enforcement at the border, you don’t want enforcement of our traffic laws, you don’t want police enforcement in our cities. I just question whether that is a good set of perspectives to be a judge whose job will be to enforce the law.
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