Democratic Washington Rep. Pramila Jayapal said Wednesday that immigrants are needed in America because they “pick the food we eat,” “clean our homes,” and “rebuild our communities after climate disasters.”
“Trump’s policies, combined with his anti-immigrant rhetoric, made us less safe, less competitive in attracting the best and the brightest, and undermined our most basic human values of compassion and kindness,” Jayapal said. “This country needs immigrants to survive. Immigrants pick the food we eat, rebuild our communities after climate disasters, help construct our infrastructure, power our small business economy, clean our homes, and look after the most precious in our families — our children and our elders.”
🤔 Jayapal using the tired old, “Who will clean our homes?” defense on illegal immigration. Limousine liberalism at its finest! #ampFW pic.twitter.com/LBMe4jrmxO
— FreedomWorks (@FreedomWorks) April 19, 2023
Jayapal’s remarks came during a House Judiciary Committee session on the immigration crisis and the Border Security and Enforcement Act of 2023. (RELATED: Kevin McCarthy Proposes Raising Debt Ceiling, Large Spending Cuts In Budget Plan)
Some Republicans, including Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, described Jayapal’s comments as stereotyping immigrants.
“It’s gross stereotyping and why so many Hispanics leave for the GOP,” Luna, the first Mexican-American woman voted into Congress from Florida, told Fox News.
Jayapal’s comments come as the federal government continues to grapple with large influxes of migrants entering the U.S. via the border with Mexico. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday in the House of Representatives that he disagreed with Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz’s testimony about the security situation at the U.S. Mexico border.