Rep. Al Green (D-Texas) expressed dismay after Trump supporters broke out in chants of “send her back” during a campaign rally on Wednesday night as the president renewed attacks on four minority congresswomen.
At Trump’s North Carolina rally, thousands of attendees chanted “send her back” in reference to Rep. Illhan Omar (D-Minn.), a Somali refugee and one of the first Muslim women to be elected to Congress.
Green told Hill.TV that those who took part should be more mindful of the pain and potential violence that they could be inciting against people of color.
“I would hope that they would understand the pain that they are engendering,” Green told Hill.TV during an interview on Thursday in response to the chants.
“Try to understand the pain and the hurt but also understand that you might be inciting other people to do more than talk,” he added. “Someone could be killed as a result of this.”
Green, who has previously accused Trump of inflaming racial tensions, said he felt personally attacked by the chants.
“I grew up at a time when it was common place to say ‘send them back,’” he said. “I had people tell me that — to tell me to go back to Africa,” he told Hill.TV. “That is quite offensive to say to a person whose as much of an American as anybody else in this country.”
A number of lawmakers and human organizations have similarly denounced the chants. The Anti-Defamation League said they represent a danger “to all Americans.”
A few Republicans have also spoke out, though they continue to defend Trump against accusations of racism.
The chairman of the House Republican campaign arm denounced the “send her back” chants, saying there was “no place for that kind of talk.”
The chant at Wednesday night’s rally in North Carolina followed days of Trump doubling down on his attacks on freshman Democratic Reps. Omar, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.).
The president initially tweeted that the lawmakers, all women of color, should “go back” to where they came from, even though all four are U.S. citizens.
Green earlier this week introduced articles of impeachment against Trump in response to the tweets, but the resolution was subsequently killed in a 332-95 House vote.
“If somebody doesn’t take a stand, there will be no guardrails for this president,” he told Hill.TV in response to his push for impeachment.
—Tess Bonn
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