Rep. Tim Ryan Timothy (Tim) RyanNow's the time to make 'Social Emotional Learning' a national priority Mourners gather outside Supreme Court after passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg Lincoln Project hits Trump for criticizing Goodyear, 'an American company' MORE (D-Ohio) said migrants trying to enter the U.S. "should at least ring the doorbell" during Tuesday's Democratic presidential debate, amid an exchange over the decriminalization of illegal border crossings.



The candidates were discussing a proposal put forth in the first round of debates by former Obama Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, who said he would eliminate the statute that makes it a crime to cross into the United States without permission.

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The 10 candidates in Tuesday's debate were evenly split on the idea, which Sen.(D-Mass.) saidis using "to rip families apart."The Trump administration used the criminal statute in question as the basis for its zero tolerance program, which resulted in more than 2,000 children being separated from their parents.But Ryan is in the camp of Democrats who believe removing the statute would entice further illegal immigration, adding that immigrants should be respectful of American laws and "at least ring the doorbell."