Trying to twist the facts and using misleading data during a House Oversight Committee hearing on deportations, which have been caused by the lack of will power from House Republicans to pass comprehensive immigration reform, Republican Congressman John Mica used the derogatory term “illegal aliens.” Even FoxNews polls show almost half of Latinos voters find “illegal alien” offensive when describing undocumented immigrants.
Republican leaders have warned their own party about the repercussion of using this derogatory term against Latinos, but apparently John Mica missed that memo, especially when his own district is becoming more diverse and where Latinos are becoming a major political force.
“With all due respect, Congressman John Mica, but no human being is illegal. Mica wants to twist the facts on deportations just to score cheap political points with Trump supporters on the back of those trapped in a broken immigration system caused by House Republicans,” said Javier Gamboa of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. “Racist dog-whistles by House Republicans are the reason Donald Trump has made it this far in the Republican primary. Latinos know that this derogatory term has no place in Central Florida. We are paying attention and will make our voices heard at the ballot box.”
This is not the first time Rep. Mica has expressed anti-immigrant sentiments and Democrats clearly see an opening in Mica’s new congressional district on the issue.
Mica also complained about the impact of “These Deluges Of Illegal, And …Semilegal, Immigrants In Florida.”
“My State, in fact, has seen the impact of these deluges of illegal, and I call them semilegal, immigrants in Florida. Our hospitals and jails and schools are filled to capacity, and our social services taxed and impacted.” [House of Representatives Transcript, 9/24/96]
Mica also said “People Who Come Here Illegally Should Not Have Any Rights, Any Benefits, And Should Not Be Entitled To Get In Front Of The Line.”
“When you allow people to come in illegally, and then provide a pathway to citizenship to those that violate the law, it’s not right. … People who come here illegally should not have any rights, any benefits, and should not be entitled to get in front of the line.” [YouTube, 6/07/15]
