Hamilton biographer: Good thing he was an immigrant before the country was full

Alexander Hamilton biographer Ron Chernow hit President Trump’s remarks that the U.S. cannot accept immigrants because the country is “full” while delivering the White House Correspondents’ Dinner’s keynote speech.

Chernow described the first U.S. treasury secretary as “an immigrant who arrived, thank God, before the country was full,” he said, receiving laughs and applause from the crowd. 

{mosads}“I don’t know why they let the guy in, clearly somebody had slipped up at the Southern border,” he quipped.

Chernow’s 2004 biography of Hamilton was the inspiration for the hit Broadway musical “Hamilton.” He delivered the keynote speech at the annual dinner after the association’s leadership decided to forgo its usual comedian following a provocative performance by Michelle Wolf at last year’s event. 

President Trump is known for his hardline immigration stance. He said earlier this month that we cannot accept more immigrants or asylum-seekers because the country is “full.”

“They system is full, can’t take you any more,” he said, adding that for both “illegal immigration” and “asylum” seekers, the answer is “I’m sorry, we’re full.”