President Donald Trump has been a harsh critic of the Central American gang MS-13. He has also had a hard-line stance on immigration in order to ensure that criminals do not enter the country and that criminals in the country are deported.
Last year, during a discussion with a California official about the gang, President Trump said that “we have people coming into the country, or trying to come in. We’re stopping a lot of them, but we’re taking people out of the country. You wouldn’t believe how bad these people are. These aren’t people. These are animals, and we’re taking them out of the country at a rate that’s never happened before.”
In turn, the President faced heavy criticism from Democrats and detractors who said that he was referring to immigrants and asylum seekers. And, Democrats also argued that his comments and hardline stance on immigration contribute to a national rise to white nationalism, which is why Democrats have now introduced legislation that would condemn white supremacy.
In a tweet, Democratic freshman Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell commented that President Trump “believes that immigrants are ‘invaders’ and asylum seekers are ‘animals.’ Those words only divide us and give rise to white nationalism.”
.@potus believes that immigrants are “invaders” and asylum seekers are “animals.” Those words only divide us and give rise to white nationalism.
Thanks @RepMalinowski, @RepBarbaraLee, @RepDeanPhillips, @RepCasten for standing with me against this threat.https://t.co/9KN7feprYc— Rep. Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (@RepDMP) April 10, 2019
She then thanked fellow Democratic members of Congress “for standing with me against this threat.”
Though the President and other officials argue that he was not referring to immigrants and asylum seekers, House Democrats continue to slam the President, and they argue that he is contributing to immigrants being perceived in a negative way.
Mucarsel-Powell, an immigrant who joined more than 80 House Democrats in the bill condemning white supremacy, noted that “we are not invaders.”
Furthermore, she explained that “accepting refugees and asylum seekers does not pose an intrinsic threat to our way of life.”
In addition, the resolution also calls for more funding to be directed to the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security to fund programs that will combat domestic terrorism. Also, social media companies will be urged to reevaluate their policies to condemn white supremacy.
