Latino

Latina Dem lawmaker: Trump ‘has demeaned communities of color’

by Rafael Bernal - 01/30/18 10:42 PM ET

A Peruvian-born member of the Virginia House of Delegates issued a scathing critique of President Trump’s immigration policies following his State of the Union address on Tuesday, saying the president “has demeaned communities of color” and attacked “those who are most vulnerable.”

“The president has attacked our families. He eliminated [the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Program] DACA and has threatened to deport young patriotic and brave Dreamers — who call the United States their home, because it is the only one they know,” Del. Elizabeth Guzman (D), the first Latina elected as a Virginia lawmaker, said during the Democrats’ official Spanish-language response to Trump’s speech.

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“He has demeaned communities of color — launching a mass deportation agenda, and insulting the heritage of anyone who doesn’t look like him. He has imposed a hateful, immoral ban against our Muslim brothers and sisters,” Guzman, who was invited last week to deliver the remarks by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), added in her response.

Trump rescinded the DACA program in September, releasing a flurry of legislative proposals and counterproposals to replace it. Despite a short-lived government shutdown over DACA, Congress has not reached an agreement.

In his speech Tuesday, Trump doubled down on his immigration reform proposal, which would shield 1.8 million so-called Dreamers from deportation, but also includes provisions on family reunification policies — referred to by Trump as “chain migration” — that Democrats and some Republicans have derided as nonstarters.

In her response Tuesday night, Guzman said Trump’s immigration policies hurt vulnerable populations.

“The president has attacked those who are most vulnerable, ending protections for families fleeing persecution, from wars and from natural disasters,” said Guzman.

“These people have acted in accordance with the law, they have paid taxes,” she said.

Guzman also criticized Trump’s management of the aftermath of two hurricanes that devastated Puerto Rico last year.

“The president has also failed in his duty to protect our families in Puerto Rico who were affected by Hurricane Maria. This is unjust. This is unacceptable,” she said.

Guzman told The Hill before the address that she didn’t expect a conciliatory tone from Trump. “I don’t want to sound pessimistic, but I don’t think he can change his tone overnight,” she said.

She added that she wrote the speech with Trump’s perceived attitude toward immigrants in mind.

“Our president, throughout this year, has been looking down on immigrants, anyone who doesn’t look like him — his message is that they are not welcome in the states, that they come to harm this country. So just on that basis is what we prepared our message,” she said.

Guzman is among 10 Democrats who won Republican-held seats in the Virginia House of Delegates in November.

She first moved to the U.S. as a single mother and pursued a formal education, eventually earning four college degrees, including two at the master’s level.

Guzman’s speech was not a direct translation of the official English-language response to Trump’s address delivered by Rep. Joe Kennedy III (D-Mass.).

She ended the speech calling on minorities to run for office.

“Us Democrats are ready to reclaim our nation — but we cannot do it alone,” said Guzman.

“We need candidates and leaders with stories similar to mine — candidates that fight for the men and women who work day and night, for those who still need two or three jobs to earn enough to make a living,” she added.

Tags Donald Trump Joe Kennedy Nancy Pelosi