Texas Democrats expressed disappointment with President Joe Biden’s use of the term “an illegal” to describe an undocumented immigrant during his State of the Union address.
The moment occurred when Georgia Republican Marjorie Taylor Greene heckled Biden to acknowledge Laken Riley, a Georgia student allegedly killed by an undocumented immigrant, while he was discussing border issues. Biden repeated Greene’s words, stating, “killed by an illegal. That’s right.”
Despite the context, Democrats found Biden’s choice of words troubling. U.S. Rep. Joaquin Castro criticized the rhetoric, calling it dangerous and suggesting that it could incite violence.
He mentioned the case of Aaron Martinez, a North Texas man killed by his neighbor, who had harassed Martinez’s family over their Latino ethnicity. Castro emphasized that such language could have negative consequences and questioned why Biden chose to use it.
U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, an El Paso Democrat and co-chair of Biden’s reelection campaign, acknowledged that “illegal” is the statutory language but noted that it’s not the language she uses. Escobar’s stance reflects a broader concern among Democrats about the language used in discussing immigration issues.
U.S. Rep. Greg Casar from Austin found Greene’s heckling inappropriate and believed it did not reflect Biden’s true views. He anticipated that Biden’s team would clarify his remarks later.
The State of the Union address also touched on the topic of border security, with Biden urging bipartisan support for a border security deal introduced in the Senate.
However, Republicans turned against the bill after former President Donald Trump denounced it, effectively halting its progress. Biden’s comments on border security drew criticism from Republicans, with Sen. Ted Cruz calling them “profoundly dishonest and out of touch.”
The issue of abortion also featured prominently in Biden’s address, with him vowing to overturn Texas’ restrictive abortion laws if reelected and Democrats regain control of Congress.
He highlighted the case of Kate Cox, a Texas woman who had to leave the state to seek an abortion due to the strict laws. Biden criticized the Texas law and warned against further restrictions on reproductive freedom.
Several Texas Democrats used the State of the Union address to highlight abortion access, inviting guests affected by the issue. The White House has previously used the address to shed light on Texas’ abortion restrictions, indicating the importance of the issue to the Democratic Party.
Biden’s address touched on several contentious issues, reflecting the ongoing political debates surrounding immigration, border security, and reproductive rights. The reactions from Texas Democrats underscore the complex and divisive nature of these issues in American politics.
