Khanna: Democrats Throwing Immigrants Under the Bus
Democratic Congressman Ro Khanna says party members who voted for the Laken Riley Act should be barred from leadership positions, comparing their support to backing the Iraq War.
The California representative made the explosive comments during an appearance on CNN’s “The Arena,” according to Breitbart News, where he was pressed on controversial statements he made to The Bulwark about the immigration legislation.
Kasie Hunt, the program’s host, confronted Khanna with his earlier claim that anyone who voted for the Laken Riley Act should be disqualified from Democratic Party leadership, noting this would exclude prominent senators including Ruben Gallego, Mark Kelly, Jon Ossoff, Raphael Warnock, and Elissa Slotkin from consideration as presidential nominees.
Khanna stood by his position, stating the lawmakers should minimally be required to explain their support for what he characterized as a terrible vote. He argued the legislation enabled deportation without due process protections.
The congressman framed his opposition as deeply personal, identifying himself as the son of immigrants. He drew a connection between Democratic support for the Laken Riley Act and subsequent immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration.
I am tired of a Democratic Party that throws immigrants under the bus, Khanna stated during the interview.
Going further, Khanna called for the complete abolition of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, proposing it be replaced with an entirely new immigration enforcement agency. He insisted the Democratic Party must take a moral stand against what he described as mass deportation policies.
The Laken Riley Act was named after a Georgia nursing student who was murdered by an illegal immigrant, a case that became a flashpoint in the national immigration debate.
With information from Breitbart News
