Democratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar suggested on Tuesday that individuals from Latin America would not be competitive if the U.S. immigration system was based on merit.
“A ‘merit based’ immigration policy is fueled toward the Latinx community,” Omar said in a now-deleted tweet. “Our immigration policies shouldn’t be based on discrimination, fear, or bigotry.”
“We should welcome immigrants to our country and offer a simple pathway to citizenship,” she added.
Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz fired back at Omar for implying that people immigrating from Central and South America were not as smart or skilled as people immigrating from other countries.