Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville Calls Most Immigrants 'Garbage' in Recent Interview
![Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville Calls Most Immigrants 'Garbage' in Recent Interview](https://thechronicle.cc/uploads/images/202407/image_750x_66a1f5518f647.jpg)
In a recent interview on Fox Business' "Kudlow," Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville made a controversial statement, labeling most immigrants entering the United States as "garbage."
During the interview, Tuberville discussed Vice President Kamala Harris' role in handling immigration issues at the southern border, a responsibility given to her by President Joe Biden in 2021. Tuberville exaggerated the number of individuals crossing the border, stating, “How can you put somebody in charge of a situation where you let 15, possibly even 20 million people come into our country? Some of these people are good, but most of them are garbage. They come from jails and prisons in other countries.”
However, according to recent Pew Research Center estimates based on the 2022 American Community Survey, the unauthorized immigrant population in the United States was 11 million in 2022, far less than Tuberville's claims.
When contacted for comment, a spokesperson for Tuberville clarified that his remarks were aimed at illegal immigrants: “Senator Tuberville supports legal immigration. But under Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, over 10 million people have illegally entered our country, making our neighborhoods, kids, and families less safe. Many of these people are drug traffickers, terrorists, murderers, rapists, and gang members. Just ask the families of Laken Riley or Rachel Morin. Senator Tuberville is not afraid to call people who illegally invade our country exactly what they are: criminals.”
Heidi Altman, director of federal advocacy at the National Immigration Law Center, condemned Tuberville's language, saying, “Senator Tuberville’s dehumanizing language referring to migrants as garbage encourages abuse rather than empathy and compassion. This kind of rhetoric has historically led to dangerous, violent, and hateful policies against marginalized groups. Leaders of all political persuasions should denounce this as unacceptable in a democratic society.”
Tuberville's comments have sparked a debate on the treatment and perception of immigrants in the United States, highlighting the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration policy.