Escobar Blasts Johnson's Rhetoric for ‘Vilifying Immigrants’

Texas Representative Veronica Escobar (D) recently blasted Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R) harsh comments regarding migrants and the U.S.-Mexico border.

“This is the EXACT kind of rhetoric that got 23 people murdered in El Paso in 2019. Incredibly disappointed to hear @SpeakerJohnson scapegoating and vilifying immigrants instead of working toward real, bipartisan immigration reform,” said Rep. Escobar regarding Johnson's rhetoric.

In an interview with Fox News, Johnson made questionable comments that referenced the conspiracy theory known as “Replacement Theory” which teaches that there is an effort to replace white individuals with people of different ethnicities.

Speaking on the border issue, Johnson stated that Democrats have allowed the border to remain open because they want to turn migrants into voters. Johnson’s statements grew more bizarre as he stated that Democrats wanted to change the census, as well.

The rhetoric is often criticized for its claims that often lead to violence. The congressman claimed that the alleged plan was “sinister”, which really caused an uproar as it was viewed as adding fuel to a troublesome conspiracy theory.

In her statement, Rep. Escobar referenced a 2019 shooting in which a mass shooter espousing racist rhetoric shot and killed 23 people. Five years later, a similar attack would occur in the same city, one parking lot over. In the 2023 attack, one person was killed and three people were wounded.

“It is a tragedy and stain on our country that Americans don’t feel safe anywhere because our nation is awash in guns," stated the Texas congresswoman.

Escobar has continuously championed the importance of migrants to the United States. After the collapse of the Baltimore bridge, the congresswoman highlighted how the immigrants who work on the nation’s infrastructure often go forgotten or ignored.

“This week's tragedy reminds us that despite the pressure of demanding jobs, exhausting environments, and their demonization, immigrants do this as part of their shot at the American dream. They deserve our respect, recognition, and a fair attempt at making that dream a reality,” said Rep. Escobar.