Illinois Democrat minimizes violent acts committed by illegal immigrants as just 'a few crimes'
Rep. Jesús "Chuy" García, D- Ill., appeared to dismiss illegal immigrants attacking and murdering Americans as simply "immigrants committing a few crimes" Wednesday.
Garcia made his remarks at a House Judiciary Subcommittee hearing on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement where he feigned surprise that Republicans were "scapegoat[ing] immigrants once again."
"Republicans have lifted up some tragedies that involve immigrants committing a few crimes," Garcia said, claiming Republicans were being "dishonest and cruel."
"This is the exception, not the rule," he added. "I live in an immigrant neighborhood in Chicago. I know what it's like."
Just before García spoke, Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., called out sanctuary city policies for releasing known violent criminals onto the streets with no clear oversight.
"There have been murders, there have been rapes, there have been disfigurements," Van Drew said.
He added, "We know what happened to Laken Riley. We know what's happened to so many people. We're trying to clean up the chaos that was left behind."
Also, shortly before García made his comments, Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, gave a series of examples of sanctuary cities ignoring ICE detainers on rapists and killers, many of whom went on to assault and kill again.
García also argued that sanctuary city polices, such as the ones implemented in Chicago, have produced lower crime and poverty rates.
He concluded that Republicans are "not interested in public safety or crime victims" because of how they've embraced President Donald Trump's deportation policies.
Chicago Flips Red Vice President Danielle Carter-Walters responded to García during her testimony.
"It's funny that Mr. García is from Chicago, and he cannot tell you what's happening in our community. If he came into our community, he would see all the gang graffiti, the Tren de Aragua signs, the MS-13. He would see across the street in a park where they're putting the shelters, all the needles in the park," Carter-Walters said.
She also attacked sanctuary city policies and claimed, based on her husband's experience as a former police officer, that crimes by illegal immigrants are often not reported.
Fox News Digital reached out to Garcia's press secretary for further comment.
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Republicans focus on trans athletes in their early attacks against Jon Ossoff in Georgia
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But while Democrats are gearing up for a difficult re-election fight for Ossoff in a state Trump won narrowly in 2024, they think the issue will be drowned out by voters' concerns about the economy, particularly Trump's handling of it. Even so, it's an issue for which Democrats lack a consensus about how to respond to GOP broadsides, as prominent members of the party grapple with whether to embrace protecting the transgender community as part of their values, deflect the question, or come out against including transgender athletes in women's sports. Ossoff is the only Democratic incumbent defending a seat in a state Trump won last year, making him far-and-away the top target for Senate Republicans. Still, some Republicans admit that Ossoff will be difficult to beat, particularly now that Gov. Brian Kemp decided not to seek the seat. The early Republican criticism of Ossoff points to the Democratic senator's vote on legislation in February that would make it a Title IX violation (jeopardizing federal education funding) for states to allow transgender women and girls to participate in female sports. The bill failed to get the 60 votes it needed to advance in the Senate. One Nation, the nonprofit aligned with Senate Republicans' main super PAC, has spent at least $400,000 airing an ad reminiscent of a key tagline from one of Trump's anti-Harris ads from last year: 'Man-to-man defense isn't woke enough for Ossoff, he's playing for they/them.' Carter's opening salvo of ads included a spot touting the congressman's MAGA credentials while a person purporting to be a transgender woman holds sports trophies and stands in front of a transgender pride flag talking about how Ossoff has been an ally to the community. 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