Democratic presidential candidate and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro is using Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen’s resignation as an opportunity to fundraise and gather names of supporters.
An email from Castro’s campaign sent to supporters Monday afternoon asked them “to add your name alongside mine to demand Senators never — NEVER — confirm a Trump nominee like her again.”
A link in the email on the “add your name” request directs to “Julián’s critical immigration survey,” which asks yes or no questions about whether the survey-taker agrees with Castro’s immigration policy positions.
The last item on the survey asks for a contribution to Castro’s campaign.
“New Democratic rules state that Julian needs to reach 65,000 donors in order to secure his spot at the debates. He’s not there yet — but we know he can get there. Can he count on your contribution to make sure his voice is included?” it reads, and offers donation amounts ranging from $7 to $112.
It notes that $23 is the most popular amount to donate and does not include a $0 donation option, but selecting a donation amount is not required to submit the survey.
Castro’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Nielsen announced her resignation on Twitter Sunday night at a time when President Donald Trump is frustrated with a spike in arrivals at the U.S.-Mexico border. Trump reportedly fired her by tweet following a meeting between Trump and Nielsen that went poorly.
Earlier Monday, Castro said in a tweet that Nielsen “operationalized one of the cruelest immigration policies this nation has ever seen.”
[Read more: Trump on withdrawal of ICE nomination: ‘We’re going in a tougher direction’]
Sec. Nielsen operationalized one of the cruelest immigration policies this nation has ever seen.
When a nominee is named, I call on senators to vote against anyone who doesn’t commit to treating asylum seekers humanely—including refusing to separate children from their parents.
— Julián Castro (@JulianCastro) April 8, 2019
Other Democratic presidential hopefuls criticized Nielsen’s record in the wake of her resignation.
“Let’s unite & do everything in our power to elect a president who will not allow her or his DHS Secretary to separate families, tear gas kids, put children in desert tent camps, inflict irreversible damage not only on our fellow human beings but on the conscience of this country,” former Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke tweeted Sunday night.
Let’s unite & do everything in our power to elect a president who will not allow her or his DHS Secretary to separate families, tear gas kids,put children in desert tent camps, inflict irreversible damage not only on our fellow human beings but on the conscience of this country.
— Beto O’Rourke (@BetoORourke) April 8, 2019
“@SecNielsen’s legacy of tearing innocent families apart will follow her for the rest of her life—and she should be ashamed of the role she played,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., tweeted Sunday.
About time. @SecNielsen’s legacy of tearing innocent families apart will follow her for the rest of her life—and she should be ashamed of the role she played. She was completely unqualified to lead @DHS—and that’s why I voted against confirming her. https://t.co/17iglABdvC
— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) April 7, 2019
“Kirstjen Nielsen misled the American people and defended Trump’s inhumane policy of separating children from their parents. It was long past time for her to go,” Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., tweeted Sunday.
Kirstjen Nielsen misled the American people and defended Trump’s inhumane policy of separating children from their parents.
It was long past time for her to go. https://t.co/3KXTHKZTRd
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) April 7, 2019
