Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ) defended her choice of the term “component” when discussing individuals without legal status during a press conference on Capitol Hill. After facing criticism, she looked up the term and discovered it means “people who are part of the community.”
During the press conference, some journalists questioned whether she sees individuals lacking legal status as part of her constituency. She responded:
“I didn’t think it would turn into such a big deal, but then the right-wing press started using it against me. So, I Googled it. The definition of a component is someone who is part of a community, regardless of their legal status. Whether it’s an asylum seeker, a green card holder, a U.S. citizen, or someone who simply lives in the community, they are all my constituents. ‘Component’ doesn’t equate to ‘voter.’ Honestly, I don’t care if any of them can vote for me.”
She went on to say, “My focus is on ensuring that our taxpayer dollars are used to treat all individuals with dignity and respect.”
This isn’t the first time Ansari has faced backlash. Earlier this week, she referred to undocumented individuals in ICE detention as “members” during a visit to a facility in Eloy, Arizona. On Saturday, she highlighted her conversations with detainees, describing their experiences as “dehumanizing, racist, and unacceptable.” She mentioned meeting a woman suffering from leukemia who lacked adequate access to medical care.
“Components include citizens, green card holders, DACA recipients, asylum seekers, and refugees,” she noted in a follow-up post after her visit. “No council members should decide who gets help.”
Ansari’s stance on immigration has been a hot topic since she started her term. In April, she traveled to El Salvador with a representative press team to help a man identified by the Department of Homeland Security as a member of the MS-13 gang, who was facing accusations of domestic abuse. They joined Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who had previously visited El Salvador on a taxpayer-funded trip to advocate for the same individual.
During her trip, the individual claimed he was “illegally deported” and sought “proof of life” from Salvadoran authorities. She also championed a case involving Andri Hernandez Romero, portrayed as a young Venezuelan artist. However, it was later revealed that Hernandez Romero was 31 and suspected of affiliations with the Tren de Aragua gang.
At the time, she described the detention environment as a “constitutional crisis” and criticized former President Donald Trump for enabling a “government-funded temptation program.” She encouraged other lawmakers to visit El Salvador to increase pressure on the administration.
In July, Ansari voiced her concerns during a CNN interview regarding ICE operations targeting Iranian individuals. She remarked on the agency’s focus, expressing distrust in the current administration’s prioritization of real criminals. It was reported that more than 130 Iranian citizens were arrested, including individuals linked to Hezbollah and former military operatives. As someone of Iranian heritage, Ansari shared that she received numerous calls from family members about their detention, suggesting that Republicans were pushing for increased funding aimed at these operations.
