Sally Reed
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is finding himself in hot water over certain statements he made in a clip where he refers to people who enter the US without permission as “illegals.” Let’s see why this is such an issue and what sort of fallout he’s facing because of it.
The Term “Illegal” Is Insensitive
Joe Biden, in his State of the Union address, referenced Laken Riley’s death at the hands of an illegal immigrant. He used the term “illegal” to refer to the killer but later walked it back.
In light of Biden’s position, conservatives have unearthed a clip of Schumer calling illegal immigrants into the US “illegals” and are demanding he make an apology for it.
Schumer Decries The Term Undocumented Workers
In the clip, Schumer references the amount of illegal immigrants coming into the US and suggests that the country’s government should do something to curtail the numbers.
He goes on to say that the term “undocumented worker” suggests that the government isn’t serious about combating the influx of immigrants and that calling them illegal is the proper terminology.
A Dig At Language Policing
Clay Travis, the founder of Outclick.com, posted on Twitter/X the original clip from 2009 that highlighted Schumer saying these things and using the terms now deemed unacceptable.
Travis stated that the things everyone used to say not too long ago are now deemed offensive and policed. It shows a change in Democrats’ position on immigration.
A Shift In Left Politics
Around 2009, the Democrats started to realize how much of a problem illegal immigration could be. Along with Schumer, former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also decried unlawful immigration.
Now, Democrats are for illegal immigration. It’s become such a huge issue that the Biden administration is denying funding to border patrols to make them less effective in stopping illegal immigrants.
Pelosi’s Statements Call For A Stop
In 2008, Pelosi stated at a press conference that the government was committed to securing the border and suggested they try different approaches until they find something that works.
She even used the word “undocumented” to refer to illegal immigrants and stated that the government wanted no more of them entering the country. It’s quite different from today’s Democrat statements.
Pelosi Doesn’t Back Donald Trump’s Approach to The Border
A spokesperson for Pelosi agreed that she did say those things and that she still backs bipartisan legislation for proper and fair border control, but she highlighted that it may not happen.
The representative for Pelosi notes that Trump asked MAGA Republicans to kill border reform bills because Trump thinks it will gain him political points for his presidential run.
Orwellian Word Policing Is a Problem
President Biden apologized for using the word “illegal” in his speech, just like Schumer noted that he shouldn’t have said what he did. However, policing speech may be more of a problem.
Whether using the word “illegal” or “undocumented,” the idea remains the same. The difference in the terms is simply that one seems more offensive than the other. And that’s what many conservatives are making fun of liberals for.
Biden Wants to Treat Undocumented Immigrants With Respect
According to Joe Biden, he sees undocumented immigrants as the reason the economy is the way it is. In some sense, he is correct. The US was built by the hands of immigrants from all over.
Historically, the US has had a welcoming atmosphere toward immigrants. Yet, in recent years, this has become hostile, with many Americans wanting to secure the borders and stop immigration altogether.
Trump Preys on This Sense of Isolationism
Trump’s rhetoric regarding immigrants is the opposite of Biden’s. He’s been heard referring to illegal immigrants as vermin who should be tossed out of the country to keep it pure.
The rhetoric is alarming to many since it adopts a lot of hallmarks of supremacist speech. His statements about “polluting the bloodline” have earned him a lot of followers in that cohort of people.
Did Biden Actually Apologize?
White House Spokesperson Olivia Dalton stated that President Biden didn’t apologize for using the term. He discussed it but didn’t issue an apology.
Biden did say he had “regret” for using the term, but it is true that he issued no official apology for using it. The apology for using the term is what got Republicans riled up in the first place.
A Sad Story Highlighting a Problem
Laken Riley, a former nursing student from Augusta, was the reason why Republicans were arguing about border control funding and reform. She was killed by an illegal immigrant who was subsequently arrested.
Before the State of the Union address, many Republicans urged Biden to say her name in the speech. Biden went further and suggested that he would see that border control funding was prioritized.
A Change In Democrat Immigration Policies?
While Biden says that he will prioritize signing bills that are related to border control funding, only time will tell whether he’s dedicated to seeing funding go to these areas.
In the past, Democrats bundled border control funding with bills that would also fund US allies. Republicans rejected these bills on principle, denying themselves border funding.
Border States Worried At Immigration Numbers
Most border states suggest that the illegal immigration situation has hit crisis proportions. Unrest in Central and South America has pushed more people over the borders.
Through 2023, over 300,000 illegal immigrants were caught trying to cross the border. This number doesn’t account for those who successfully attempted to enter through illegal means.
The Word Is Not Important
While Democrats may be concerned about the language they use to discuss the immigration problem, Republicans do not question whether there is a problem. And the problem by any name still needs a solution. Republicans hope this will come sooner rather than later.
The Biden administration seems to have accepted that the illegal immigration situation has become unbearable. They seem willing to compromise on this, but we’ll have to see if their compromise extends to funding border control over their own political interests.
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