Miami Herald Logo

Congressman’s comments anger South Florida colleagues | Miami Herald

×
  • E-edition
  • Home
    • Site Information
    • Contact Us
    • About Us
    • Herald Store
    • RSS Feeds
    • Special Sections
    • Advertise
    • Advertise with Us
    • Media Kit
    • Mobile
    • Mobile Apps & eReaders
    • Newsletters
    • Social
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Google+
    • Instagram
    • YouTube

    • Sections
    • News
    • South Florida
    • Miami-Dade
    • Broward
    • Florida Keys
    • Florida
    • Politics
    • Weird News
    • Weather
    • National & World
    • Colombia
    • National
    • World
    • Americas
    • Cuba
    • Guantánamo
    • Haiti
    • Venezuela
    • Local Issues
    • Crime
    • Education
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • In Depth
    • Issues & Ideas
    • Traffic
    • Sections
    • Sports
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Pro & College
    • Miami Dolphins
    • Miami Heat
    • Miami Marlins
    • Florida Panthers
    • College Sports
    • University of Miami
    • Florida International
    • University of Florida
    • Florida State University
    • More Sports
    • High School Sports
    • Auto Racing
    • Fighting
    • Golf
    • Horse Racing
    • Outdoors
    • Soccer
    • Tennis
    • Youth Sports
    • Other Sports
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • The Florida Influencer Series
    • Sections
    • Business
    • Business Monday
    • Banking
    • International Business
    • National Business
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate News
    • Small Business
    • Technology
    • Tourism & Cruises
    • Workplace
    • Business Plan Challenge
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Cindy Krischer Goodman
    • The Starting Gate
    • Work/Life Balancing Act
    • Movers
    • Sections
    • Living
    • Advice
    • Fashion
    • Food & Drink
    • Health & Fitness
    • Home & Garden
    • Pets
    • Recipes
    • Travel
    • Wine
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Dave Barry
    • Ana Veciana-Suarez
    • Flashback Miami
    • More Living
    • LGBTQ South Florida
    • Palette Magazine
    • Indulge Magazine
    • South Florida Album
    • Broward Album
    • Sections
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Comics
    • Games & Puzzles
    • Horoscopes
    • Movies
    • Music & Nightlife
    • People
    • Performing Arts
    • Restaurants
    • TV
    • Visual Arts
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Jose Lambiet
    • Lesley Abravanel
    • More Entertainment
    • Events Calendar
    • Miami.com
    • Contests & Promotions
    • Sections
    • All Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Op-Ed
    • Editorial Cartoons
    • Jim Morin
    • Letters to the Editor
    • From Our Inbox
    • Speak Up
    • Submit a Letter
    • Meet the Editorial Board
    • Influencers Opinion
    • Blogs & Columnists
    • Blog Directory
    • Columnist Directory
    • Andres Oppenheimer
    • Carl Hiaasen
    • Leonard Pitts Jr.
    • Fabiola Santiago
    • Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Place an Obituary

    • Place an ad
    • All Classifieds
    • Announcements
    • Apartments
    • Auctions/Sales
    • Automotive
    • Commercial Real Estate
    • Employment
    • Garage Sales
    • Legals
    • Merchandise
    • Obituaries
    • Pets
    • Public Notices
    • Real Estate
    • Services
  • Public Notices
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Real Estate
  • Mobile & Apps

  • el Nuevo Herald
  • Miami.com
  • Indulge

Politics

Congressman’s comments anger South Florida colleagues

By Marc Caputo

    ORDER REPRINT →

July 25, 2013 03:16 PM

Miami’s three Cuban-American members of Congress have a message for fellow U.S. Rep. Steve King, who said more DREAMer immigrants are drug mules than valedictorians: Be quiet.

King’s statements, which drew swift rebukes from Republican congressional leaders earlier in the week, have become the latest flash-point in the immigration debate in the conservative House, which is divided over whether and how to reform the system.

“These comments are outrageous and reflect only this particular member’s views,” Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, a Republican House member like King, said in a statement. “Such statements are factually untrue, hurtful and seem designed to divide rather than to bring our nation together.”

Ros-Lehtinen’s fellow Miami Republican, U.S. Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, has spent more than a year with a bipartisan House group that now plans to release a comprehensive immigration-reform package after the August recess — a strategic move partly designed to shield the bill from criticism when Congress isn’t in session.

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

Diaz-Balart called King’s comments “unacceptable… unacceptable. Unacceptable.”

U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, a Democrat, said at a House Judiciary subcommittee Tuesday that King’s sentiments were “beneath the dignity of this body.”

But King isn’t backing down, and the conservative news media is celebrating his comments about the so-called DREAM Act, which would give a pathway to citizenship for students who were illegally brought to this country by their parents.

While DREAM Act supporters say eligible kids are current and future valedictorians, King told the conservative media outlet NewsMax last week that some are used as drug mules.

King took to the House floor late Wednesday night and defended himself by reading comments into the congressional record that included information from a 2012 Associated Press article that bore the headline: “Mexico Children Used as ‘Mules’ by Drug Gangs.”

According to The Hill, King also reiterated a version of his NewsMax comments that caused a stir: “For everyone who’s a valedictorian, there’s another 100 out there that they weigh 130 pounds — and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Those people would be legalized with the same act.”

Most polling indicates that most voters, including a plurality of Republicans, favor the DREAM Act and a broader pathway to citizenship.

But the polls don’t account for the gerrymandered-nature of U.S. House districts, where a large majority of Republicans represent districts with small Hispanic populations.

Ros-Lehtinen and Diaz-Balart’s districts are among the few exceptions.

The more-moderate Senate passed a comprehensive immigration-reform plan in June that provides a pathway to citizenship, beefs up border security and offers incentives to attract more high-skilled immigrants.

But many House Republicans say it’s not enough. They want more border security faster before an “amnesty” of any sort is given to current illegal immigrants.

Meantime, many conservatives have turned on a key sponsor of the bill, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, a potential GOP presidential contender who would have to campaign in King’s home state of Iowa should he run for the White House in 2016.

With such vocal Republican opposition, polling indicates that voters generally and Hispanics in particular would be more likely to fault the GOP if an immigration-reform bill doesn’t pass the House.

Voters are also not sure about the sincerity of Republicans when it comes to immigration reform, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC poll. It found that 59 percent of voters think Republican calls for more border security are an “excuse to block reform.” Only 36 percent said it was a “legitimate concern.”

Democrats are again starting to campaign on the issue, and on King’s comments in particular.

Garcia issued a campaign statement Wednesday highlighting his comments in committee where he took King to task.

“When members of this committee — when members of this House — use inflammatory language, use offensive language, it does not help the process,” Garcia said.

“It is offensive. And it is beneath the dignity of this body and this country,” Garcia said. “This is an American problem. And we need to work together.”

  Comments  

Videos

Congress members tour through Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Migrant Children

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis wants statewide grand jury into school security across state

View More Video

Trending Stories

Haitian police arrest five Americans who claimed they were on a ‘government mission’

February 18, 2019 06:37 PM

Man arrested after climbing crane near FIU to ask Trump for mercy for Cuban exile bomber

February 18, 2019 08:44 AM

A Florida 6th-grader called the Pledge of Allegiance ‘racist.’ Then he got arrested.

February 18, 2019 08:59 AM

Double vision: Miami will host Miami in future football game

February 18, 2019 06:36 PM

Here’s why the Dolphins will avoid dummies more than ever. And coaches weigh in on new QB

February 18, 2019 02:07 PM

Read Next

DeSantis urges Trump to land new U.S. Space Force in Florida

State Politics

DeSantis urges Trump to land new U.S. Space Force in Florida

By Jim Turner News Service of Florida

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 19, 2019 05:50 PM

Gov. Ron DeSantis wants Florida to play a leading role in President Donald Trump’s directive to create a new military branch called Space Force, saying it would be similar to the U.S. Southern Command in Doral.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Miami Herald

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE POLITICS

Trump wants California to pay back billions for bullet train

Business

Trump wants California to pay back billions for bullet train

February 19, 2019 09:23 PM
Alleged conflicts of interest roil $500 million child welfare fight

State Politics

Alleged conflicts of interest roil $500 million child welfare fight

February 19, 2019 08:09 PM
Judge OKs suit aimed at halting Obama library in Chicago

Business

Judge OKs suit aimed at halting Obama library in Chicago

February 19, 2019 08:18 PM
UCF president resigns to repair rift with Legislature over misspent funds

State Politics

UCF president resigns to repair rift with Legislature over misspent funds

February 19, 2019 05:27 PM
Despite bill’s demise, W.Va. teachers to strike for 2nd day

Nation & World

Despite bill’s demise, W.Va. teachers to strike for 2nd day

February 19, 2019 07:59 PM
Bill aimed at ‘sanctuary cities’ clears Senate hurdle

Immigration

Bill aimed at ‘sanctuary cities’ clears Senate hurdle

February 19, 2019 04:49 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Icon for mobile apps

Miami Herald App

View Newsletters

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
  • Public Insight Network
  • Reader Panel
Advertising
  • Place a Classified
  • Media Kit
  • Commercial Printing
  • Public Notices
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story