I believe immigrants are a strength and not a problem. That doesn't mean there aren't issues that we need to resolve, but I think it is high time that people in this Chamber talked about immigrants to this country and recognized the strengths that they bring. President Trump and his administration have launched upon an unprecedented campaign against immigrants--immigrant crackdowns in Virginia and elsewhere. And the claim of the administration and many who support it is that this is because of a desire to protect Americans and rid American streets of criminals. I maintain that President Trump has, instead, demeaned and dehumanized immigrants and their countries of origin since day one of his political career for matters completely unrelated to public safety.
Editor's note · Context
Discussing the need to recognize immigrants as a strength during a debate on reforms to the Department of Homeland Security.
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