Rep. Tlaib at Family Separation Hearing: ‘No One Is Illegal; That Term is Derogatory’

EXCERPT:

TLAIB: "Thank you so much, Chairman. Honorable members of the committee, thank you all for this critically important hearing today and shokran, which means thank you, Chairman Cummings for always creating a space for us in this committee. From the first week you said we give you new energy. I hope that's still the case. So thank you. By allowing us to testify before this committee and enter what we observed and experienced in our visit to El Paso border on July 1st, to the CBP Station One and the Clint camp, and into the congressional record, I appreciate that responsibility and not picking on the President but holding this administration accountable. First, no one is illegal. That term is derogatory now because it dehumanizes people. You can say any other forms of maybe coming in without regulations or so forth, but the use of 'illegal' is disrespectful and I ask my colleagues to try in so many ways to not dehumanize our immigrant neighbors that are trying to come in for a safe haven."

(h/t saraacarter.com)