GOP Silence on Deporting Children with Cancer: A Legal Analysis

The "Adoptive Admission" in Legislative Silence

• 🏛️ Representative Dan Goldman questioned Republican lawmakers about a bill that would allegedly deport American citizens, including children with cancer, and allow the hiring of January 6th rioters at the Department of Justice.
• 🤐 The silence from the Republican side in response to accusations of the bill being "cruel and incompetent" is analyzed as a potential adoptive admission.
• ⚖️ Professor Rascin explains that in certain legal contexts, particularly civil court, silence can be construed as agreement with a proposition.

Legal Implications of Silence

• 🚫 While silence cannot be used against someone in a criminal court due to the Fifth Amendment privilege against self-incrimination, it can be used in civil court.
• 🗣️ The professor highlights that individuals not under criminal investigation are free to speak and defend themselves against accusations.
• 💡 The lack of response from Republicans is contrasted with the expectation that an innocent person would defend themselves against serious allegations.

The "Cancer Kids" Amendment

• 🙋‍♂️ Goldman proposed a simple vote: raise your hand if you do not think children with cancer who are American citizens should be deported.
• 📉 The visual result showed only Democrats raising their hands, implying Republican support for deporting children with cancer.
• 🧐 This action is presented as a defining moment, where the silence and subsequent vote reveal the stance of the lawmakers on the issue.