House Republicans and Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) condemned Republican presidential primary candidate Nikki Haley's comments in 2015. She asked Americans to stop calling illegal immigrants “criminals.” Because “they are not criminals.”
This week, Breitbart News detailed Haley's comments during a panel discussion at the Aspen Institute on July 21, 2015. Earlier that month, then-presidential candidate Donald Trump talked about immigration as a flashpoint issue in the 2016 Republican primary. An American was killed by an illegal alien.
“As a family of immigrants from India, how does that impact your thinking about the immigration debate? And how do you feel about the recently changing tone of the immigration debate?” Walter Isaacson asked Haley, and she replied:
So I think what we have to remember, and what I've always believed, is that we are a nation of laws. That's what makes us strong… It's incredibly frustrating for a lot of people to see what illegal immigrants encounter. It's really amazing that after all these years, DC can't figure out how to build a wall. Considering all they spent, it really is. [Emphasis added]
That being said, we are a nation of immigrants. I am a proud daughter of Indian parents. My parents reminded us every day how blessed we are to live in this country. They get upset when people come here illegally. But remember, the people who want to come here want to come for a better life. They also have children. They have hearts too, We don't have to be rude. There is no need to talk about them as criminals, but they are not. They are a family who wants a better life and are desperate to get here. [Emphasis added]
What we have to do is make sure that we have a set of laws that we abide by and abide by them. I think some unfortunate and wrong things have been said. But I think we also need to remember that tone and communication and people are important, especially for all of us. There’s no need to be cold about this… just be kinder than necessary. [Emphasis added]
In response, Rep. Greg Steube (R-Fla.) wrote on Twitter that Haley was “unfit to be commander in chief,” and that her comments followed the death of Kate Steinle in the sanctuary city of San Francisco. He pointed out that it was issued just a few weeks later. She garnered national headlines.
July 1, 2015: Criminal Illegal Alien Murder Case Kate Steinle
July 21, 2015: Nikki says illegal aliens should not be called criminals.
She is unfit to be commander-in-chief.
Trump 2024 https://t.co/7tpTbU5U03
— Greg Steube (@gregsteube) January 4, 2024
Jose Garcia Zarate, a seven-time felon and five-time deported illegal alien, was charged in Steinle's death after he was caught on surveillance camera running from the crime scene.
After his arrest, Zarate admitted to shooting Steinle, who was walking along the pier with his father at the time, and said he chose San Francisco because it was a sanctuary city for criminal illegal aliens from federal arrest and deportation. .
On November 30, 2017, Zarate was acquitted of Steinle's murder.
Tuberville also criticized Haley in a statement, writing on Twitter, “Immigrants who enter our country illegally are 100% 'criminals,'” while Rep. Lance Gooden (R-Texas) tweeted, “Hey. [Nikki Haley], they are criminals because they are here illegally. ”
Immigrants who enter our country illegally are 100% “criminals.” https://t.co/1eaokjnmtH
— Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville) January 4, 2024
Hey @NikkiHaleythey are criminals because they are here illegally.
Once you get it @realDonaldTrump When I return to the White House, I will proudly work with him to deport all criminal illegal aliens in our country. https://t.co/G9XfubnVlp
— Lance Gooden (@Lancegooden) January 4, 2024
Vivek Ramaswamy, also running in the Republican presidential primary, said he was “strongly opposed.”[s]'' told Haley about the characteristics of illegal immigrants, and Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.) and Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) similarly criticized Haley.
“Someone let me [Nikki Haley] Please know that if you cross the border illegally, you are, by definition, a criminal,” Luna wrote on Twitter.
Strongly disagree. https://t.co/ICGLo8FHUp
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRAmaswamy) January 4, 2024
someone let me @NikkiHaley Please know that if you cross the border illegally, you are, by definition, a criminal.
— Anna Paulina Luna (@realannapaulina) January 4, 2024
Nikki Haley belongs to the school of thought that says you have to be a Democrat to beat a Democrat.
2024 is the year we take back our country.
We don't have time for people like Haley who can't even talk intelligently about the illegal and criminal invasions happening in our country. https://t.co/PjDyiQq7eI
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 4, 2024
John Binder is a reporter for Breitbart News. Email jbinder@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter here.
