"In retrospect, I should have — and this is all on me, by the way — I should have delayed it just a bit, so that I could talk to members of Congress."
That's Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly talking about the Trump administration's implementation of a ban that blocks travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries.
It's the first time he's had to speak before Congress since his confirmation.
"Going forward, I would have certainly taken some time to inform the Congress, and certainly that's something I'll certainly do in the future," Kelly said.
Kelly said he would have delayed the ban a day or two to allow for a smoother roll-out of the controversial order. He described the order as a "pause" in immigration.
But Kelly also stood by the idea that publicly debating President Trump's policy before it was implemented could have allowed dangerous people to come to the U.S. before the ban took effect.
"The desire was to get it out. The thinking was to get it out quick so that potentially people that might be coming here to harm us would not take advantage of some period of time that they could jump on an airplane and get here," Kelly said.
A federal judge stayed the ban. The Department of Justice is currently challenging that stay.
