Another 10 Democratic presidential candidates squared off Wednesday night. You’ve heard from the candidates, now let’s separate fact from fiction.
- What Went Down In Day 1 Of The Detroit Democratic Debate
- What to Watch for in the Second Presidential Debate
We begin with a fact check regarding Florida and illegal immigration.
Here’s Senator Kamala Harris
Sen. Kamala Harris, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“I went to a place in Florida called Homestead, and there is a private detention facility being paid for by your taxpayer dollars, a private detention facility that currently houses 2,700 children.”
That’s false, or at least Senator Harris got the numbers confused.
While the facility can house 27-hundred, the Department of Health and Human Services says as of July 22nd, there were 990 children at the Homestead facility.
Sticking with Senator Harris, Former Vice President Joe Biden criticized her for her leadership as a district attorney.
Biden says Harris refused to release information to defense attorneys that could help their clients.
Frm. VP Joe Biden, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“Along came a federal judge and said enough, enough. And he freed 1,000 of these people. If you doubt me, google 1,000 prisoners freed, Kamala Harris.”
That’s half true.
Harris did refuse to make a policy change and it did leave to a thousand cases being dismissed or dropped, but there’s no evidence, according to CNN, to back up Biden’s claim that a thousand people were released from prison.
Now to the war on terror and a statement from Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard.
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“We were supposed to be going after Al Qaida. But over years now, not only have we not gone after Al Qaida, who is stronger today than they were in 9/11.”
That’s accurate at least according to the Council on foreign Relations, which says Al-Qaeda has been quietly rebuilding as the Islamic State declines.
They find the terror group is fighting in more countries now than it was 18 years ago.
Healthcare is a big issue during this election season.
Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard made this claim during last night’s debate:
Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“The reality is right now, we don't have a healthcare system. We have a sick care system.”
That is true.
Politifact found the U-S spends more on health care than other developed countries, but it also found studies that show performance of American’s health care system ranked poor or even last.
Senator Cory Booker said this regarding decriminalizing illegal entry at the border.
Sen. Cory Booker, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“doing it through the civil courts means that you won't need these awful detention facilities.”
That’s also not true.
The Associated Press found that while it could reduce detention at the border if there were no criminal charges, border officers would still need a temporary holding facility to process people crossing the border.
Senator Michael Bennet made this claim during the debate.
Sen. Michael Bennet, Democratic Presidential Candidate
“Eighty-eight percent of the people in our prisons dropped out of high school.”
That’s false.
Politifact found that a survey from 2014 discovered of 13-hundred prisoners responding, 64 percent of incarcerated adults had a high school diploma.
Politifact couldn’t find a study to back up the 88% claim.