Nancy Pelosi Wants Immigrants To Stay In Florida: “We Need Them To Pick The Crops Down Here”

Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

The southern border is proving to be a bit of a sore spot for Democrats leading into the midterms. There have been indications in recent polls that the party is losing its lead with Latino voters, with many speculating that part of that slip is related to the Biden administration’s policies (or lack thereof) regarding immigration reform and the border.

With illegal migrant encounters reaching record highs along with migrant deaths, you’d think Democrats would be choosing their words wisely when speaking to the press on the subject. However, you would be predictably incorrect.

You can generally always count on the President and Vice President to provide some forehead-slapping quotes on any topic. Still, this time the bonehead comment on immigration came from the one and only House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. So what does the Speaker think these migrants are suitable for?

Watch:

Related: No, Martha’s Vineyard Won’t Cost DeSantis in Florida

Only Good For Crop Picking?

Since Vice President Kamala Harris told ‘Meet the Press’ last month that “The border is secure…” Democrats have been pelted with reporters asking if they believe the same as the VP. Naturally, the leader of the House Democrats got asked this very question.

Her response was diplomatic and fairly measured at first, saying “We have a responsibility to secure our border; we also have a responsibility to recognize the importance of newcomers to our nation.”

Pelosi didn’t stop there, then saying what pretty much most Americans already with agree with, stating that the best course of action is to have “comprehensive immigration reform.”

The jaw-dropping part of her answer landed in the most blunt way possible however, undoubtedly intending for her next remark to land as a jab at Florida Governor Ron Desantis. “You see, in Florida,” Pelosi said, “some of the farmers and growers say, ‘Why are you shipping these immigrants up North? We need them to pick the crops down here.'”

Pause for a moment and seriously ask yourself how the media would have reacted if former President Donald Trump, or any Republican for that matter, said that. They’d be apoplectic! Every liberal pundit in existence would be calling him racist and demanding a full on apology tour.

Related: Democrat Fears Of Losing Latino Voters Clearer Now More Than Ever

Not Going to Let This One Go 

The reaction to the Speaker’s statement was pretty epic.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform broke down the reality behind the Democrat’s platform on immigration and border security perfectly, stating that “For Democrats, mass immigration checks two boxes: 1. More future voters 2. Cheap foreign labor.”

Reality hits like cold water, and now Latino voters across the country are coming to the clear realization that Pelosi doesn’t see them as anything more than free votes and cheap labor. It’s not hard to imagine that Pelosi has probably never spoken to a working class Latino individual who wasn’t cleaning one of her mansions.

The comment from Pelosi illustrates exactly why there are shifting attitudes of Latino voters, as highlighted by Republican consultant Nathan Wurtzel who recently stated that it is not hard to “believe immigrants who have become American citizens are starting to vote Republican when the leader of the Congressional Democratic Party views them only as fruit pickers.”

A recent NBC News/Telemundo poll also shows this shift in Latino support. The poll showed that 54% of Latino voters prefer Democrats to keep control of Congress versus 33% for Republicans to take control.

While that seems like a wide 21-point lead compared to previous years, it paints pretty interesting pictures. For example, in 2012, the Democrats enjoyed a 42-point lead; in 2018, a 34-point lead; and in 2020, a 26-point lead.

Numbers Don’t Lie

While polls can often be an inaccurate portrayal of what lies in the hearts and minds of voters, some numbers are crystal clear. For example, this past Fiscal Year, the United States surpassed two million encounters at our southern border, breaking the record with a 25% increase from last year.

Over the last 18 months, five million migrants have come across our border from 160 different countries. Additionally, there have been approximately one million ‘gotaways,’ which are defined as individuals that border patrol could not apprehend.

What Border Patrol has been able to arrest are 113 convicted murders and 770 convicted sexual offenders. That’s a 2,000% increase in murders from the year prior and a 260% increase in sexual predators from the year prior.

It’s no wonder that among at least Latino voters, only 51% approve of the job President Biden is doing versus 45% who disapprove. 

Related: GOP Candidate Cassy Garcia Lampoons VP Harris And Jill Biden: ‘My Pronouns Are Ta/Co’

A Blast From the Past

Former President Bill Clinton had some thoughts on the current border crisis in an interview with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria. While admitting that there is a limit to how many immigrants our nation can absorb, he still managed to take a swipe at Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott.

“What’s happening in Venezuela, more than 2 million refugees pouring into first Columbia then nearby countries,” said Clinton, “has created unprecedented new challenges and meanwhile provides opportunities for stunts like Governor Abbott’s – sending his refugees to someplace that he thinks is advocating for a broad-minded policy that it doesn’t have to live with.”

I find it interesting he calls the refugees his as if the issue at the southern border isn’t a national issue, but instead a state issue. Perhaps what is the most interesting is some of the former President’s earlier remarks on illegal immigration.

During his 1995 State of the Union, President Clinton said of illegal immigration that “The jobs they hold might otherwise be held by citizens of legal immigrants. The public service they impose burdens our taxpayers.” 

Oh, how the views on illegal immigration have changed since 1995.

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USAF Retired, Bronze Star recipient, outspoken veteran advocate. Hot mess mom to two monsters and wife to equal parts... More about Kathleen J. Anderson

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