Session '11: Reps. Berman and Anchia

AUSTIN (KXAN) - On this edition of Session '11, Reps. Leo Berman , R-Tyler, and Rafael Anchia , D-Dallas, talk about immigration legislation, border concerns, and same-sex couples adopting. Also, Christy Hoppe of the Dallas Morning News, Jeff Ward of KLBJ News Radio, Michael King of the Austin Chronicle, and Ben Philpott of KUT-FM/Texas Tribune participate in the onpolitix panel.

Watch the full Session '11 program, plus Berman and Anchia's entire, un-aired segment on the video clips to the left.

TRANSCRIPT BELOW:

Commissioner Todd Staples, Texas Department of Agriculture: "This is a crisis which demands much greater federal government response."

Rep. Leo Berman, (R) Tyler: "Not only providing them free health care and free education K-12, but they're also using falsified documents to get on state benefits."

Rep. Jose Aliseda, (R) Beeville: "We have a 152,000 prisoners in our prison system. Of that 5-7,000 are illegal aliens.
Rep. Rafael Anchia: "It's failed leadership on a $27 billion budget. There was no undocumented immigrant that created a $27 billion budget."

As state lawmakers hit their deadline to file bills this session, plenty of immigration legislation popped up. More than a hundred pieces at last count. This morning, our onpolitix Panel has an array of media heavy hitters who deal with this issue day in and day out. And a lively debate between two of the most outspoken members of the House. Representatives Rafael Anchia and Leo Berman go head-to-head on immigration, the border, and some very unexpected topics. Next on Session 11.

Announcer: "From KXAN Austin News, this is Session 11. Live interactive breakdowns, insights, interviews, and our weekly roundtable discussion. You're watching Session 11 on KXAN Austin News."

Good morning. I'm Josh Hinkle. Thanks for joining on Session 11. This week at the state Capitol, we saw Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples announce his new website for farmers and ranchers on the border to document the danger they're experiencing from suspected drug cartels. The move to persuade the federal government to step in also brought plenty of pushback, as extremists clogged the site, calling for a vigilante movement. But we also saw bills on the opposite side of the spectrum - that would create a program for immigrants to legally work in the state.

This morning, you'll want to log onto kxan.com. And while you're there, click on the onpolitix tab at the top. You'll go straight to our special political site, where you can find our latest coverage and blogs. Plus, click the blue bar at the top to chat with us.

This morning, we're talking immigration and the border. Our onpolitix Panel will field your questions later in the program. Right now, two state lawmakers take on the immigration debate this morning. One is known as one of the most conservative members of the Texas House and has sponsored his own handful of bills aimed at immigrants. The other is the son of immigrants from Mexico and Spain. That's Representative Rafael Anchia - a Democrat from Dallas. He's in his fourth term in the House. He serves as Vice-Chair of the Pensions, Investments and Financial Services Committee and also serves on the Land and Resource Management Committee. Then, you have Representative Leo Berman - a Republican from Tyler - who began his career in the House in 1998. He serves on the Defense and Veterans Affairs and the Elections Committees. This week, our own Robert Hadlock sat down with the two men in our studio.

>> THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT IS
SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS.
THEY HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING FOR
TWO YEARS AND WE HAVE 2 MILLION
ILLEGAL ALIENS IN TEXAS AT THE
COST OF $6 BILLION A YEAR, NOT
ONLY PROVIDING THEM FREE HEALTH
CARE, AND EDUCATION K-12, BUT
THEY ARE USING FALSIFIED
DOCUMENTS TO GET ON STATE
BENEFITS, FOOT STAMPS, AID TO
DEPENDENT CHILDREN, MEDICAID,
IT'S TIME TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT
IT.
WE CAN'T JUST LET 2 MILLION
PEOPLE RUN AROUND ILLEGALLY IN
THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>> WHAT ABOUT THAT POINT?
THEY ARE A STRAIN ON OUR BUDGET.
>> THE COMPTROLLER IN 2006 DID A
STUDY ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE
STATE OF TEXAS BY IMMIGRANTS.
AT THE LOCAL LEVEL, THERE'S A
COST TO THE STATE ROUGHLY ABOUT
$950 MILLION, SO THE DELTA
BETWEEN THE 450 AT THE STATE
LEVEL AND 950 AT THE LOCAL
LEVEL, $500 MILLION, RIGHT?
IF YOU CONSIDER THAT, WHAT IT
COSTS THE STATE, THE COMPTROLLER
WENT ON TO SAY WHAT IS THE TOTAL
ECONOMIC BENEFIT, AND CONCLUDED
IT WAS $17.7 BILLION.
I REPRESENT THIS PRETTY 3
SOPHISTICATED INVESTORS IN THE
STATE OF TEXAS, AS CORPORATE
FINANCE LAWYER.
I WILL SAY WE HAVE NOT SEEN A
MASSIVE INFLUX OF IMMIGRANTS
FROM OTHER STATES, TEXAS, OUR
NEIGHBORS STATES HAVE DONE QUITE
WELL ECONOMICALLY IF YOU PUT US
ON AND COMPARE US TO OUR
NEIGHBORING STATES, WE'RE DOING
VERY, VERY WELL ECONOMICALLY.
THE BENEFIT TO TEXAS OF THE
PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE
HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY OR
AGRICULTURE OR FOOD INDUSTRY ARE
ENORMOUS.
ADDING TO AN ALREADY BROKEN
FEDERAL

SYSTEM AN UNDERFUNDED
STATE TESTIMONY I THINK WOULD BE
A DISASTER, AND A RECIPE FOR
DISASTER FOR THE TEXAS ECONOMY.
>> I WANT TO TALK ABOUT THE
STRAYHORN COMPTROLLER STUDY THAT
RAFAEL IS TALKING ABOUT, AND WE
ARE GOOD FRIENDS.
>> SURE.
>> IT WAS CONCLUDED THAT ILLEGAL
ALIENS CONTRIBUTE $17 BILLION TO
THE TEXAS ECONOMY, AND THAT IS
TRUE, THEY DO, BUT WHAT IS THE
TEXAS ECONOMY?
THE TEXAS ECONOMY IS A ONE
TRILLION-DOLLAR ECONOMY.
ILLEGAL ALIENS MAKE UP ALMOST 8%
OF OUR POPULATION RIGHT NOW, SO
8% OF OUR POPULATION IS
CONTRIBUTING 2% TO OUR ECONOMY.
THAT'S A MINISCULE AMOUNT.
WE'RE HOUSING 25,000 IN OUR
JAILS.
MANY HOSPITALS ARE TREATING
PEOPLE FOR MULTI-DRUG RESISTANCE
DISEASES, IN THESE HOSPITALS FOR
TWO MORE YEARS.
RIGHT IN MR. ANCHILLA'S
HOMETOWN, 70% OF THE NEW BIRTHS
ARE OF ILLEGAL ALIENS.
WHEN ARE WE GOING TO START
REALIZING THAT WE ARE A NATION
OF LAWS? 4
WE DON'T COME FROM COUNTRIES
SOUTH OF THE BORDER WHERE THE
LAW IS NON-EXISTENT RIGHT NOW.
YOU HAVE DRUG CARTELS USING
GANGS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS IN
TEXAS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF THEM IN TEXAS
THAT ARE DEALING DRUGS, KILLING,
AND DEALING DRUGS.
WE'VE GOT TO ACT NOW, AND THIS
IS THE SESSION WHERE WE CAN.
AND TO MAKE IT QUITE CLEAR, THE
PEOPLE OF TEXAS WANT IT DONE,
AND YOU CAN SEE BY THE NUMBERS
IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE AND
THE 29 STATE-WIDE ELECTED
POSITIONS, THEY'RE ALL
CONTROLLED BY REPUBLICANS AND
MOST OF THEM ARE CONSERVATIVE.
>> REPRESENTATIVE BURMAN HAS
INTRODUCED A BILL REQUIRING
ENGLISH TO BE THE OFFICIAL
LANGUAGE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS.
>> MR. BURMAN I THINK MISSPOKE
WHEN HE SAID NONE OF US ARE FROM
SOUTH OF THE BORDER.
MY MOTHER IS FROM MEXICO CITY,
MY FATHER FROM NORTHERN SPAIN.
SPANISH HAS BEEN PART OF THE
TEXAS HISTORY FOR -- EVER SINCE
THE FOUNDATION OF THIS STATE.
IN FACT, IT'S REALLY
INTERESTING.
THERE'S A LONG TRADITION OF THIS
BEING A REGION EMBRACING
BILINGUALISM.
WE DON'T WANT TO GO THE WAY OF
CALIFORNIA.
I THINK ENGLISH LEGISLATION
DISTRACTS FROM FAILED LEADERSHIP
ON THE BUDGET.
THERE WAS NO UNDOCUMENTED
IMMIGRANT THAT CREATED A BUDGET
DEFICIT.
THERE WAS NO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT
THAT WAS A WALL STREET BANKER
THAT CREATED THE COLLAPSE OF OUR
FINANCIAL SYSTEM WORLDWIDE, SO
WE HE FREQUENTLY WHEN WE DON'T
WANT TO OWN UNPOPULAR POLITICAL 5
DECISIONS AND DON'T WANT TO FACE
UP TO OUR SHORTCOMINGS IN
LEADERSHIP, I THINK
REPRESENTATIVE BURMAN CALLED IT
RIGHT.
WE'VE GOT A $27 BILLION
SHORTFALL UNDER THE WATCH THAT
THEY CREATED WHEN THEY'VE BEEN
IN CONTROL.
THE NEXT THING THEY WANT TO DO
IS BLAME IT ON JOSE AND MARIA,
THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT.
NONE OF THEM WERE ON THE FLOOR
WHEN WE VOTED ON THE FAILED TAX
SWAP IN 2006, YET THEY'RE
RECEIVING ALL THE BLAME FOR IT.
>> YOU'RE SHAKING YOUR HEAD.
>> I'M AMAZED THAT BLAME FOR
THIS 25 OR I THINK IT'S 20 NOW,
10 FOR EACH YEAR, THAT THE BLAME
IS BEING PUT ON THE TEXAS
REPUBLICANS WHEN YOU'VE GOT A
MAN IN THE WHITE HOUSE BY THE
NAME OF OBAMA WHO SPENT
$876 BILLION TRYING TO
STRAIGHTEN OUT THE ECONOMY AND
CREATE JOBS IN HIS VERY FIRST
YEAR IN OFFICE AND NOTHING HAS
HAPPENED YET.
NOW WE'RE $14.3 TRILLION IN
DEBT, AND THE BULK OF THAT WAS
SPENT BY BARACK OBAMA IN
WASHINGTON.
SO TO SAY THAT THE REPUBLICAN
TAX SWAP, THE FRANCHISE TAX FOR
THE PROPERTY TAX WAS $10 BILLION
SHORTFALL THIS YEAR, NO, IT'S
UNBELIEVABLE.
>> IT'S REALLY FUNNY TO ME.
IF YOU CAN'T BLAME IT ON THE
IMMIGRANT, BLAME IT ON THE
PRESIDENT, RIGHT?
THE PRESIDENT HAS NOTHING TO DO
WITH THE $27 BILLION DEFICIT AT
THE STATE LEVEL.
IT WAS REPUBLICANS IN CONTROL
HERE AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT DID
THE TAX SWAP, THAT MISSED ON THE
REVENUE ESTIMATE, AND NOW WE
FIND OUR RECEIVES IN THIS HOLE. 6
IN FACT, THE IRONY IS IF IT
HADN'T BEEN FOR THE STIMULUS
PACKAGE LAST SESSION WHICH THE
REPUBLICANS GLADLY TOOK
$16 BILLION OF TO BALANCE THE
BUDGET, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE
$10 BILLION IN THE RAINY DAY
FUND TODAY TO HELP BALANCE THE
BUDGET THIS SESSION.

Their debate over immigration keeps going for another 25 minutes. Everything from Representative Debbie Riddle's controversial immigrant worker bill to English as the official language of Texas. We have the entire thing streamed on our Website - onpolitix.com. Just search for this story on the main page. But we're not done them just yet. Up next...

Rep. Leo Berman, (R) Tyler: "Transgender and transvestite. You cross dress and you're a transvestite."

We've had plenty of chatter over that comment in the social media world. Hear why Leo Berman brought it up next when our Newsmaker Debate continues. Stay with us.

Welcome back to Session 11. While our Newsmakers discussed immigration and the border, we threw in a few other topics for their views. Here's Robert Hadlock asking about same-sex couples adopting a child.

>> SOME ADOPTION LEGISLATION YOU
FILED CONCERNING THE ADOPTION
BIRTH CERTIFICATE THAT DOES NOT
HAVE TO SPECIFY A FEMALE MOTHER
AND A MALE FATHER, WHAT'S BEHIND
THAT.
>> I HAVE

SAME-SEX COUPLE
FAMILIES THAT WANT THE BIRTH
CERTIFICATE TO ADEQUATELY
DESCRIBE THEIR PARENTS.
MANY TIMES IT CREATES PROBLEM IF
IT DOESN'T, WITH ONE PARENT
BEING UNABLE TO VISIT A CHILD IN
THE HOSPITAL, CREATES PROBLEMS
WITH INHERITANCE. 7
WE HAD A VERY COMPELLING HEARING
WHERE THESE CHILDREN TALKED
ABOUT THE DIFFICULTIES IT
CREATES IN THEIR LIVES.
I'M BEING RESPONSIVE TO MANY OF
THE SAME-GENDER FAMILY PROVIDING
LOVING HOMES, BECAUSE THIS IS
REALLY IMPORTANT.
>> WHAT'S YOUR POSITION?
>> I'M NOT GOING TO DISPUTE
RAFAEL.
HE'S A VERY COMPASSIONATE MAN,
BUT IT'S LIKE CAMOUFLAGING AN
ISSUE, LIKE THE BULLYING ISSUE.
IT'S A GAY-LESBIAN TRANSVEST
TIGHT ISSUE.
>> TRANSGENDER.
>> IF YOU'RE CROSS DRESSING,
YOU'RE A TRANSVESTITE.
>> I CALL MYSELF A CONSERVATIVE,
YOU'RE A LIBERAL.
>> I PREFER YOU NOT BRAND ME,
HOW ABOUT THAT?
>> I'M SORRY.
>> THE GAY-LESBIAN,
TRANSVESTITE.
>> GAY-LESBIAN TRANSGENDER.
>> I DON'T SUPPORT THEM AT ALL.
>> THEY ARE VETERANS OF THE
MILITARY, DOCTORS, LAWYERS, IN
COMMITTED, LOVING RELATIONSHIPS
WHO PROVIDE LOVING HOMES.
WE NEED TO TAKE THAT SERIOUSLY,
NOT BELITTLE IT.
WHEN YOU HEAR THE TESTIMONY OF
THESE CHILDREN ABOUT HOW
IMPORTANT THIS LEGISLATION IS TO
THEM, IT CHANGES YOUR HEART AND
MIND.
THIS IS ABOUT KIDS.
>> I SAID HE IS A VERY
COMPASSIONATE YOUNG FELLOW, AND
HE IS.

If you have something to say about that debate, let us know. Our onpolitix Panel is standing by to field your questions. Just go to our special political site, onpolitix.com and chat with us. It's how you can interact with us here on the program. Immigration Legislation and more when Session 11 returns.

Welcome back. To bring you an "inside look" at what's happening at the Capitol this week, we turn to our onpolitix Panel. Christy Hoppe is the Austin Bureau Chief for the Dallas Morning News. Jeff Ward is the host of the Jeff Ward Show on KLBJ News Radio here in Austin. Michael King is the News Editor of the Austin Chronicle. And Ben Philpott is a senior reporter at KUT-FM Radio, Austin’s NPR affiliate, and is also a contributing reporter for the Texas Tribune. Welcome.

WHAT DID YOU THINK OF THE
DEBATE?
>> I THOUGHT THEY ACCURATELY
DEFINED THE TWO SIDES.
THE REPUBLICAN SIDE IS GOING TO
PREVAIL IN THE HOUSE.
THERE'S MANY MORE WHO FEEL LIKE
THEY WANT ANSWERS AND WANT
WASHINGTON TO ACT, AND IF THEY
DON'T, THEY'RE GOING TO STEP IN.
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES TO THE
STATE STEPPING IN.
>> JEFF, WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> IT WAS ALL PRETTY
PREDICTABLE.
YOU COULD ALMOST SCRIPT THE
ARGUMENTS BEING MADE OVER AND
OVER AGAIN.
IN MY WORLD OF TALK RADIO, THE
ARGUMENT PLAYS PRETTY WELL.
I MEAN, THEY'RE NOT REALLY
PEELING AWAY THE LEVELS.
REASONABLE SUSPICION, NOBODY
TALKS ABOUT STUFF LIKE THAT.
IT SOUNDS GOOD ON THE SURFACE
AND PLACE WELL ON THE RADIO.
I'M SKEPTICAL OF THE WHOLE
THING.
WE'VE REACHED THE POINT WHERE IN
POLITICS, IT'S NOTHING BUT
IMAGERY AND SOUND BYTES.
THE TWO GUYS DID A NICE JOB OF
THAT, BUT IT'S PREDICTABLE.
I DON'T THINK THEY'RE DEALING
WITH THE STUFF.
POLICE CHIEFS SHOULD BE STEPPING
IN AND TALK MORE ABOUT THIS.
THE PUBLIC WOULD APPRECIATE
THEIR VIEW. 9
>> WE'VE BEEN COMING UP WITH
THESE IMMIGRATION ISSUES FOR
PREVIOUS SESSION THAT MIGHT IT
HAVE A REAL CHANCE NOW WITH ALL
THE REPUBLICANS IN THE HOUSE?
>> THEY CAN CERTAINLY PASS
LEGISLATION, BUT THERE'S A
SIMPLE SOLUTION TO THE
IMMIGRATION PROBLEM THAT'S
ALREADY IN PROGRESS.
THEE YEARS AGO, THE NUMBER WAS
12 MILLION, NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN
THE NUMBER IS 11 MILLION?
WHY?
WE'VE JUST GONE THROUGH A
SERIOUS RECESSION.
IF THE LEGISLATION WANTS MORE
UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS TO GO
BACK ACROSS THE BORDER, PRODUCE
MORE RECESSION, LAY OFF 100,000
PEOPLE.
THAT'S JUST IN THE PUBLIC
SECTOR.
IT REVERB RATES IN THE PRIVATE
SECTOR.
THERE'S YOUR SOLUTION.
>> BEN, WE HAVE THESE VERY
DIVISIVE ISSUES.
ARE THESE JUST TALKING POINTS?
>> WITH THE BUDGET CRISIS, THAT
MAKES IT EASIER TO PASS SOME OF
THESE.
THERE ARE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE
STATE STEPPING IN ON THIS
FEDERAL GROUND.
THERE ARE SOME COSTS THAT LOCAL
SHERIFFS AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS
HAVE SAID DON'T HAVE US ON THE
STREETS TRYING TO PATROL
IMMIGRATION.
THAT'S GOING TO COST US TIME AND
MONEY.
AT THE SAME TIME, A LOT HAVE THE
STUFF REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS ARE
PUSHING FLIES IN THE FACE OF
FEDERAL LAW.
THEY WANT THAT CONFLICT TO
HAPPEN, BECAUSE LEO BURMAN WANTS
VERY MUCH TO HAVE HIS BIRTH
RIGHT CITIZENSHIP BILL, ARGUED 10
ALL THE WAY TO THE SUPREME
COURT.
HE KNOWS IT'S IN CONFLICT.
HE HOPES FOR A LAWSUIT.
HE WANTS TO GET IT TO THE
SUPREME COURT.
>> MORE TALKING YOU ABOUT THESE
TALKING POINTS.
WHAT ABOUT WHAT TODD STAPLES HAD
TO SAY ON HIS WEBSITE?
>> THAT'S KIND OF THE WORLD WE
LIVE IN WITH THE INTERNET.
YOU PUT ANYTHING OUT THERE AND
CAN'T CONTROL THE COMMENTS.
HIS WEBSITE WAS TRYING TO RALLY
SUPPORT.
RANCHERS ON THE BORDER ARE NOT
HAPPY WITH THE SITUATION.
THE BORDERS ARE ALMOST ALL
PRIVATE LAND.