San Antonio Congressmen Criticize President Biden for Using the Term ‘An Illegal’

Congressmen claim President’s language is unhelpful, damaging and dangerous

Two members of San Antonio’s congressional delegation, Rep. Joaquin Castro and Rep. Greg Casar, expressed their displeasure at President Joe Biden’s usage of the term “an illegal” to categorize an undocumented immigrant during his recent State of the Union address.

Context of the Statement

During the course of his speech, President Biden was heckled by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, who demanded that he mention the name of Laken Riley. Riley was allegedly killed by an undocumented Venezuelan immigrant, the man to whom Biden referred as “an illegal”.

In an attempt to quell Greene’s interruption, President Biden stated, “Riley was killed by an illegal. That’s right.” He further expressed his condolences to Riley’s parents saying, “my heart goes out to you having lost children myself, I understand,”

Response and Criticism

The term “illegal”, used to define undocumented immigrants, has been commonly associated with dehumanizing and scapegoating individuals for largely systemic issues concerning their status. There are even cases where it has been perceived as a code word signifying racial hatred.

Rep. Joaquin Castro, a former chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, found Biden’s usage of the term especially troublesome. He said: “It’s dangerous rhetoric. And I think that the president is getting bad advice from his advisers and speech writers.” Castro went on to remark that “That kind of rhetoric is what inspired the people who killed Aaron Martinez,”, referring to the tragic case of a North Texas man who was allegedly killed by a neighbor who repeatedly tormented Martinez’s family about their ethnicity.

In addition, Castro found fault with President Biden’s decision to give in to the heckling by Rep. Greene, stating, “I just don’t get why the president will go down that road,” adding that he does not believe this type of language serves the President or the Democratic Party favorably.

Call for Clarification

Rep. Greg Casar, a representative of both San Antonio and Austin, expressed his opinion that the President’s statement does not reflect his true views on immigration. Casar also criticized Rep. Greene’s heckling, calling it inappropriate. He further predicted that Biden’s team would clarify the comment.

The comments made during the State of the Union address denote a critical crossroad for the Biden administration, indicating the importance of precise and compassionate language regarding immigration and the lives it impacts. How this situation develops could have significant implications on the President’s relations with his own party, especially those representing areas impacted most by immigration issues.