Closing out another week of Democratic guests, outgoing The Late Show host Stephen Colbert welcomed California Sen. Alex Padilla to CBS on Thursday to hope that he is successful in giving legal status to illegal immigrants because President Trump’s immigration policy is defined by its purposeful “brutality and cruelty.”
Towards the end of their two-segment interview, Colbert wondered, “Both sides know that there is a broken immigration system. Why can't something get done?”
Like any good senator, Padilla gave a long, rambling answer that should’ve raised some additional questions that Colbert didn’t bother to ask, “Well, here's what I've tried to do, because it frustrates me to no end, Stephen. Since day one in the Senate, for me, talking to my Republican colleagues behind closed doors, telling me, ‘Alex, I'm with you on Dreamers, but first we've got to get the border under control.’ Well, that seems to be done, now what? Or ‘Yeah, farmworkers, I agree, deserve better, but first we got to get the board under control.’ Again, that seems done. Now what? So, where is the political will on the other side?"
Padilla is claiming the border is under control, so now is the time for conversations about legalization, but he strongly opposed the policies that led to the border being secured in the first place. Colbert didn’t find this odd.
Nevertheless, Padilla continued, “Because the border is one thing. Everybody agrees we need a safe, secure, orderly, humane border. We need to address the programs by which people who want to come to the United States should be considered. Whether it's work visas or asylum or anything else. But what tends to get lost in the conversation are the millions of people who are not just here in the United States, who have been here in the United States for years, if not decades, paying taxes, raising families, otherwise law-abiding, right, no criminal conviction or history.“
Does everyone agree? That certainly wasn’t the position of Padilla’s party the last time they held a competitive presidential primary.
Padilla also promoted a new bill he has, “It's called Updating The Registry. There's this registry law that's been on the books for almost a century with a deadline that has been a moving target over the last 100 years. Last updated under Republican President Ronald Reagan that says if you've been here for seven years or longer, you paid your taxes, no conviction, et cetera, a few other requirements, you should be able to register and move towards legal status. So, I introduced a bill to do just that.”
Instead of asking if that would undo the progress on the border by incentivizing people to come here illegally, Colbert wished him luck and asked, “Well, I hope you find support. Do you have any hope that this is going to get passed under this particular Senate?”
Padilla claimed he does, “I'm hopeful because it's not just me that has called out this administration for being extreme and overreaching. Look, public polling. The American people know that this is wrong and an abuse of power when even Stephen Scalise from Louisiana, the number two Republican in the House, says, ‘There's got to be a better way.’ I'm hoping and praying that things are shifting just enough.”
Again, Colbert hoped Padilla is successful, “That would be wonderful. Because I think people who love our country—this is a beautiful country. I love our country, but it breaks my heart to see that the overt policy of the administration is brutality and cruelty. That is the purpose.”
Padilla agreed, “Right, and that’s why I do what I do. I love this country so much. I want her to live up to the values, the ideals, and the rights that we've enshrined in the constitution. I love this country so much I will call out anybody abusing their power to undermine those fundamental rights, especially when it's the president of the United States.”
Well, not if they have a D next to their name.
Here is a transcript for the August 7-taped show:
CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
8/8/2025
12:26 AM ET
STEPHEN COLBERT: Both sides know that there is a broken immigration system.
ALEX PADILLA: Right. Both sides can see it.
COLBERT: Why can't something get done?
PADILLA: Well, here's what I've tried to do, because it frustrates me to no end, Stephen. Since day one in the Senate, for me, talking to my Republican colleagues behind closed doors, telling me, “Alex, I'm with you on Dreamers, but first we've got to get the border under control.”
Well, that seems to be done, now what? Or “Yeah, farmworkers, I agree, deserve better, but first we got to get the board under control.” Again, that seems done. Now what? So, where is the political will on the other side? Because the border is one thing. Everybody agrees we need a safe, secure, orderly, humane border. We need to address the programs by which people who want to come to the United States should be considered. Whether it's work visas or asylum or anything else. But what tends to get lost in the conversation are the millions of people who are not just here in the United States, who have been here in the United States for years, if not decades, paying taxes, raising families, otherwise law-abiding, right, no criminal conviction or history.
They deserve a way to come out of the shadows and take a step towards legal status, and so surprise, surprise, I have a bill. It's called Updating The Registry. There's this registry law that's been on the books for almost a century with a deadline that has been a moving target over the last 100 years. Last updated under Republican President Ronald Reagan that says if you've been here for seven years or longer, you paid your taxes, no conviction, et cetera, a few other requirements, you should be able to register and move towards legal status. So, I introduced a bill to do just that.
COLBERT: Well, I hope you find support. Do you have any hope that this is going to get passed under this particular Senate?
PADILLA: I'm hopeful because it's not just me that has called out this administration for being extreme and overreaching. Look, public polling. The American people know that this is wrong and an abuse of power when even Stephen Scalise from Louisiana, the number two Republican in the House, says, "There's got to be a better way." I'm hoping and praying that things are shifting just enough.
COLBERT: That would be wonderful. Because I think people who love our country—this is a beautiful country. I love our country, but it breaks my heart to see that the overt policy of the administration is brutality and cruelty. That is the purpose.
PADILLA: Right, and that’s why I do what I do. I love this country so much. I want her to live up to the values, the ideals, and the rights that we've enshrined in the constitution. I love this country so much I will call out anybody abusing their power to undermine those fundamental rights, especially when it's the president of the United States.