'They increase the level of hate and violence': Adam Schiff blasts the GOP's 'demonization' of immigrants

01 February 2023

United States Representative Adam Schiff (D-California) on Wednesday refuted Republican vilification of immigrants and expressed gratitude for the life-and-death sacrifices that countless thousands of them made during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Many Republicans in Congress seem intent on demonizing migrant families and asylum seekers, portraying them as fentanyl traffickers and violent criminals. In the real world, asylum seekers are vulnerable individuals and families fleeing political persecution and torture," Schiff said. "And these terrible stereotypes that my Republican colleagues are peddling have real-world consequences and bring real-world harm as they increase the level of hate and violence directed at immigrants here at home."

In April 2022, studies conducted by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that "the risk of infection with COVID-19 among migrant workers was twice as high as among native-born workers in several countries. But many migrant workers have had to balance the risk of getting sick at work with the risk of losing employment or income."

Schiff touched upon those socioeconomic inequities in his address.

"Let me just take this opportunity to recognize the many immigrants who risked their lives during the pandemic to take care of us when we were sick in the hospital with COVID, who brought food to our grocery stores and delivered goods to our doors, who worked in our fields so we would not go hungry and who died disproportionately because they could not work from home," he said, adding that "I want to say thank you for your courage. Our country is better off for having you here."

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