In a recent House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing on immigration, Representative Maxwell Frost, a Democrat from Florida, drew significant criticism on social media for his remarks directed at Republicans.
Frost suggested that if Republicans were to continue pushing their "bigoted" immigration law, they should also consider passing a bill to remove the Statue of Liberty.
The hearing was centered around H.R.2, the Secure the Border Act, a comprehensive border security and immigration bill passed by the House GOP in May. The legislation proposes restrictions on the asylum process for individuals crossing the border and mandates the resumption of construction on the border wall.
Frost, a freshman congressman, was among several Democrats who criticized the bill. He also presented a mock bill proposing the removal of the Statue of Liberty, a symbol of American openness to immigrants.
"My colleagues from the other side of the aisle, lets be honest with immigrants who deserve better than what youre offering them. Dont welcome immigrants if you plan to reject them. If you keep pushing your bigoted H.R. 2 bill, then also pass this bill. Ive taken the liberty of drafting it for you," Frost said, holding up the draft. "It removes the Statue of Liberty, our largest symbol that tells people to come here."
Frost's comments were met with widespread criticism, with many accusing him of conflating significant immigration reform with the text on the Statue of Liberty.
The Telegraph contributor Nile Gardiner called Frost's comments "ridiculous," while Fox News contributor Guy Benson dismissed them as "stupid." Stephen Miller, contributing editor for The Spectator, pointed out the perceived inconsistency in the Democrats' stance on statues, while writer Ryan James Girdusky noted, "Democrats cant decide if they want to topple statues or have them make our laws for us."
Mark Hemingway, a senior writer for RealClearInvestigations, added, "Theres only one party in this country that wants to tear down statues, and its not Republicans."
The notion of equating the Statue of Liberty with immigration law has been a recurring point of contention, particularly during the Trump administration. CNN's Jim Acosta famously questioned how the president's immigration stances aligned with the symbolic sculpture, stating, "The Statue of Liberty says, give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. It doesn't say anything about speaking English or being able to be a computer programmer."
Despite Frost's criticism of Republicans, 14 Democratic lawmakers, including Representatives Henry Cuellar, Jared Golden, Mary Peltola, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, and Jared Moskowitz, voted with the GOP to condemn President Bidens border policies.
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