Pelosi: When Trump Says 'Merit,' He Means 'Make America White Again'
House speaker brings up Melania when speaking on president immigration plan
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House Speaker Nancy Pelosi slammed the White House’s latest immigration proposal, suggesting Presdient Donald Trump was a hypocrite for wanting an immigration system based on merit.
Pelosi politicized the proposals saying that the word 'merit' means 'make America white again.'
Speaking at Commonwealth Club of California, Pelosi said:
“When the president says merit – turn it upside down. It means make America white again, have people leave, just go back and we’ll just let in people we like."
“I don’t know merit counted for when his wife’s family came into the country. I don’t know. Maybe it did.
"God bless them if it did. But he calls that chain migration, which he wants to get rid of — family unification, instead call it merit,” the California Democrat added.
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Pelosi's comment referenced Melania’s parents, who became U.S. citizens after she sponsored them.
Both the first lady's parents, Viktor and Amalija Knavs, were originally from Slovenia before relocating to their current home in Maryland.
In August 2018, they officially became American citizens, taking their oath of citizenship at a ceremony in New York City.
American citizens or foreign nationals who become permanent residents have the right to sponsor their immediate relatives to join them in the U.S.
The process is what is known as “chain migration.”
But President Donald Trump has railed against the practice.
Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN) just deleted this tweet where she appeared to suggest that Latinos can't measure up in a "merit-based" immigration system. pic.twitter.com/ak9EKVdN0i
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) May 29, 2019
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Earlier this month, Trump unveiled his long-awaited immigration proposal, which includes shifting the U.S. chain migration system to a more merit-based system.
The Trump administration would prioritize high-skilled immigrants, offering visas to those who are better educated, self-sufficient financially, and who have jobs waiting for them in the US.
“Random selection is contrary to American values and blocks out many qualified potential immigrants from around the world,” Trump said as he announced his plan.
“This will bring us in line with other countries and make us globally competitive.”
But Democratic Rep Ilhan Omar argued that merit immigration was somehow based on fear and bigotry.
The left has criticized the notion, that immigrants should be bringing something to the table, as 'attacking Latinos,' as Democrats like Ilhan Omar seems to think they’re incapable of offering anything of value.
“A ‘merit-based’ immigration policy is fueled toward the Latinx community. Our immigration policies shouldn’t be based on discrimination, fear, or bigotry. We should welcome immigrants to our country and offer a simple pathway to citizenship."
