Vice President JD Vance clashed with CBS anchor Margaret Brennan on unvetted immigrants and refugees during Sunday’s "Face the Nation" interview.
Brennan questioned Vance about President Trump’s executive order pausing refugee resettlements while demanding stricter visa vetting. She asked if Vance still stood by his earlier remarks that the U.S. shouldn’t "abandon anybody who’s been properly vetted."
"Well, Margaret, I don’t agree that all these immigrants or refugees have been properly vetted," Vance responded. "We’ve seen cases where people, supposedly vetted, were later found planning terrorist attacks. That happened during the campaign. So, clearly, the vetting process isn’t foolproof."
Brennan pressed further, asking if Vance’s stance changed as tens of thousands of Afghan refugees remain in limbo due to the order.
"My main concern as vice president, Margaret, is protecting the American people," Vance said.
"So, no?" Brennan interjected.
"…And knowing we have issues with vetting, we can’t risk letting thousands of unvetted people into our country. It’s not safe," Vance continued.
Brennan insisted, "These people are vetted. They are vetted."
Vance pointed to an Afghan national accused of planning an attack in Oklahoma. The man arrived in 2021 after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan and went through multiple vetting stages.
"I don’t want my kids sharing a neighborhood with people who aren’t properly vetted. And if I don’t want it for my kids, I’m not forcing it on other Americans’ kids either," Vance said.
Brennan countered, "That was a specific case. It’s unclear if he was radicalized here or before arriving…"
"I don’t care, Margaret," Vance shot back. "I don’t want that person in my country. Most Americans agree with me."
Vance also defended Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship for children of illegal immigrants. Brennan argued, "This is a country founded by immigrants."
"This is a unique country," Vance said. "It was founded by immigrants and settlers, but that doesn’t mean we need the dumbest immigration policy in the world. No country grants citizenship to temporary visitors’ kids. It’s absurd."