The director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Scott Lloyd, testified before a House subcommittee Thursday, where he was grilled by lawmakers about his move to personally intervene to try unsuccessfully to stop a detained undocumented teenager from having an abortion. The teenager was only able to access the abortion this week, after suing the Trump administration and fighting for a month. This is Lloyd being questioned by Washington Congressmember Pramila Jayapal.
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “Do you believe that a woman’s constitutional right to abortion depends on her immigration status?”
Scott Lloyd: “I think the—any entry into the United States”—
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “It’s a yes-or-no question, Mr. Lloyd. Do you believe that a woman’s constitutional right to abortion depends on her immigration status? Yes or no?”
Scott Lloyd: “A number of rights—a number of”—
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “That is not a yes-or-no question—that is not a yes-or-no answer, Mr. Lloyd.”
Scott Lloyd: “Well, my answer is that any number of rights depend on where they stand in terms of our immigration system.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “I do not understand that answer. Is that a yes or a no? I’ll take that as a no. So, do you believe that immigrants have constitutional rights?”
Scott Lloyd: “Once again, ma’am, if somebody wants to come into the United States and”—
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “I’ll take that as a no. Mr. Lloyd, do you have medical training of any kind?”
Scott Lloyd: “I am—if I—if I need advice regarding any medical situation regarding any of the populations I serve, I consult the medical team who works on my staff.”
Rep. Pramila Jayapal: “So the answer is, no, you don’t have medical training of any kind.”
Scott Lloyd: “No, I don’t.”
That was Congressmember Pramila Jayapal, questioning the director of the Office of Refugee Resettlement, Scott Lloyd.