Chelsea Clinton slams congressman's comments to Fox News about 'only 2' migrant children dying: 'For shame'
An interview a Republican representative gave to Fox News about the deaths of two migrant children while in ICE custody has rankled many — including Chelsea Clinton.
The former first daughter took to Twitter to decry comments made by Rep. Peter King during an interview with Fox News’s Julie Banderas on Friday. The Republican congressman from New York defended ICE and Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen following outcry over the Christmas Eve death of 8-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonzo. The young boy was the second migrant child to die while being held by U.S. Customs and Border Protection authorities; 7-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin died earlier this month.
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“I think it’s wrong to be piling on and blaming ICE,” King said. “They’ve had hundreds of thousands of people that they had custody of over the years, and I think these are the only two children that have died, certainly in recent memory.”
ONLY. TWO. so “pro-life”.
"These are the only two children that have died, certainly in recent memory … considering what does happen in housing projects … I think ICE has an excellent record." – Rep. Peter King pic.twitter.com/ExxKOePxBM
— Khary Penebaker, Fx (@kharyp) December 28, 2018
Though King called the deaths “terrible,” many commenters have accused him of downplaying their seriousness. Some critics have called him a “monster,” while others said his remarks were at odds with his “pro-life” stance.
Clinton, last heard defending Barron Trump from online mockery, was among those condemning King’s statement. She also singled out his insistence that migrants “had bad health to begin with” and labeled his non-sequitur reference to housing projects “dog-whistle racism.”
For shame. No parent would say this about their own child. No person should say this about anyone’s children. “Excellent record” would be no deaths, no harm & no children in detention. And, please don’t miss the dog-whistle racism in the middle. https://t.co/ShyFf2BG6r
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) December 29, 2018
Clinton’s tweet drew praise — and even a plea for her to follow in her parents’ political footsteps.
Please run for office 🙏🏻
— Jared Kotler (@Marcy_Kid) December 29, 2018
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