CHC CHAIR ON REP. DUNCAN’S ANTI-IMMIGRANT RHETORIC

Washington D.C.: Chairman Charles A. Gonzalez (TX 20) released this statement today in response to comments made by Rep. Jeff Duncan (SC 3) during a forum at Furman University last night. Rep. Duncan compared our country’s broken immigration system to a house without a door that allows "any kind of vagrant or animal" to come in.

“Rep. Duncan’s language is consistent with the dehumanizing and degrading themes that, tragically, too often surround the discussion on immigration. His comments can only be interpreted as comparing undocumented workers to animals, which have no place in civil discourse, and must be repudiated. When you think about the impact that this kind of destructive language can have, it is very disturbing.

“South Carolina’s immigration law has not gone into effect yet, but in Alabama, we are already seeing the effects of a misguided law. Hispanic children, regardless of their status, are afraid to go to schools. The farm labor work force is diminishing and the already fragile economy is being put at risk.

“Once again, I request that Republican leadership disavow this misguided rhetoric.”