Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., suggested that President Trump’s stance on immigration stems from racism while reacting to reports which quoted Trump saying Thursday that Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations are “shithole countries.”
“No, Jorge,” Gutierrez said in response to a tweet from Univision’s Jorge Ramos. “I think he doesn’t like black people either. He is making it very clear that it is LEGAL #immigration he opposes if the people look a certain way or come from certain countries (like countries that are not Norway).”
No, Jorge, I think he doesn’t like black people either. He is making it very clear that it is LEGAL #immigration he opposes if the people look a certain way or come from certain countries (like countries that are not Norway). https://t.co/AiwTbosuTF
— Luis V. Gutierrez (@RepGutierrez) January 11, 2018
Trump reportedly lashed out at lawmakers over possibly restoring protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations that his administration plans to end. The president also reportedly called those nations “shithole countries” and asked why the U.S. doesn’t have more immigration from countries like Norway. The White House put out a statement Thursday in response to the report, but did not deny that Trump made the “shithole” remark.
Statement from @rajshah45 on WaPo “shithole” story, via @JaxAlemany pic.twitter.com/fY6yDTCeRZ
— Stefan Becket (@becket) January 11, 2018
Gutierrez has been a vocal critic of the president’s immigration agenda and has been pushing for the action to be taken on the DREAM Act to grant protection to those who came to the U.S. as children with their parents.
“It now sounds like GOP opposition to legal #immigration is preventing deal to give @RealDonaldTrump his wall,” the Democrat tweeted after Thursday’s meeting. “We should address illegal immigration, not seek to undocument immigrants already here & working legally or to prevent people coming with visas in future.”
It now sounds like GOP opposition to legal #immigration is preventing deal to give @RealDonaldTrump his wall. We should address illegal immigration, not seek to undocument immigrants already here & working legally or to prevent people coming with visas in future.
— Luis V. Gutierrez (@RepGutierrez) January 11, 2018
Weeks ago, Trump reportedly said that all Haitian immigrants have AIDS and once Nigerians immigrated to the U.S. they would “never go back to their huts. The White House denied he made those remarks.
