Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said the idea floated by President Donald Trump to potentially send domestic criminal prisoners to other countries to serve their sentence is a bad idea.
Kennedy appeared on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” and was asked if he felt there was legal standing to transport domestic criminals to jails in other countries. “No, Ma’am. We have our own laws. We have the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution. We shouldn’t send prisoners to foreign countries, in my judgment.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the idea was being considered during a Tuesday press briefing at the White House. “It's another question that the president has raised," Leavitt said. “It's a legal question that the president is looking into."
Leavitt added the Trump administration “would only consider this, if legal, for Americans who are the most violent, egregious repeat offenders of crime who nobody in this room wants living in their communities." No additional information was provided.
Kennedy was also asked about the Trump administration following court orders. Kennedy responded that Trump has not broken any orders so far, and the senator would stand up in opposition if Trump did. “And I don't believe that President Trump will defy a federal judge's order. If he does, I'll call him out on it.”