Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar, D-Mich., was confronted over his refusal to stand during President Donald Trump’s joint address to Congress when honoring families of children raped and murdered by illegal immigrants.
In a heated exchange with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Thanedar criticized the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.
“I did not stand because the president, I was just sick of the president,” Thanedar said Friday on “Hannity.”
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Hannity responded, “You wouldn’t stand for families that lost children – a 12-year-old girl raped and murdered – and you couldn’t stand for them because you were playing politics.”
“I would not stand for this president,” Thanedar reiterated. “He was lying.”
Thanedar claimed Trump was “using a tragedy” for political purposes.
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During the speech, Trump honored several young women whom law enforcement says were murdered by illegal immigrants, including Jocelyn Nungaray.
Many Democrats in the chamber remained seated as the families were recognized, including Jocelyn’s mother, Alexis Nungaray, who was in attendance. Nungaray later described the Democrats’ reaction as “shameful” during a March appearance on “Hannity.”
“I found it very cowardly that a lot of the Democrats didn’t stand, didn’t clap, didn’t do anything to support anything that Donald Trump was trying to do as president to make this country better,” Nungaray said.
“It’s just very disgraceful to us as U.S. citizens that those are the people we have here in Congress,” she added.
During Friday’s segment, Hannity repeatedly pressed Thanedar on whether he had personally contacted families of Americans killed by illegal immigrants. He responded, saying he speaks with his constituents “all the time” and claimed they are being “terrorized by ICE.”
He was pressed on his decision to file articles of impeachment against Trump over the deportation of suspected gang member Kilmar Abrego Garcia, as well as his calls to entirely abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Thanedar recently introduced legislation to abolish ICE, calling for the agency to be dismantled entirely. He told reporters that he believes “ICE is beyond reform.” A press release from his office explains the act as a step toward creating a “more humane approach to immigration policy.”
His comments come as ICE faces intense scrutiny from activists and Democratic leaders following the death of Minneapolis woman Renee Nicole Good during a confrontation with immigration agents earlier this month.
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