Democratic New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offered an apology during a House hearing Wednesday over the possible deportation of illegal immigrants with serious medical conditions who could possibly be deported under a new Trump administration policy.
“I’d like to apologize to you on behalf of the United States of America for the dehumanizing policies that they are pursuing, that are frankly targeting you and targeting many people in the United States,” Ocasio-Cortez told two illegal immigrants.
“And we’re fighting for a better country that we can be proud of when it comes to how we treat all people and understanding the circumstances that they’re coming from. And I’d also like to recognize the intrinsic value that you have and offer to everybody that you encounter in her country,” she continued.
The New York Democrat was speaking to Maria Isabel Bueso and Johnathan Sanchez, two migrants living in the U.S. with serious medical concerns.
In August, the Trump administration changed a policy that allowed illegal immigrants to be shielded from deportation if they were getting life-saving medical care in the U.S. The policy did not call for their deportation, however, it simply transferred the consideration of the deportation from United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
In September, the administration reversed course in part last month, allowing USCIS to determine the fate of cases that were still pending. (RELATED: Illegals Show Up At Border With Rotting Feet, Disease, Fevers)
Many Democratic politicians support taxpayer-funded health care for illegal immigrants. During a 2020 primary debate in June, every Democrat on stage raised their hand when asked whether they supported health care for illegal immigrants.