During his State of the Union address on Thursday night, President Joe Biden referred to a Venezuelan migrant as “an illegal.”
The impromptu remarks came after Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene heckled Biden over Laken Riley, a nursing student who was recently killed in Georgia. Authorities have charged Jose Ibarra, a Venezuelan national who entered the country illegally, with Riley’s murder.
“[Laken] Riley, an innocent woman who was killed by an illegal,” said Biden, holding up a pin displaying Riley’s name that Greene handed to him as he entered the chamber. “That’s right. But how many thousands of people are being killed by legals?”
President Biden picks up a button during his State of the Union address honoring Laken Riley, the 22-year-old nursing student whose killing has become a focus of the immigration debate.
“To her parents, I say — my heart goes out to you, having lost children myself,” Biden says. pic.twitter.com/MSnlUzHYWp
— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 8, 2024
As Biden made the remarks, Business Insider observed Democratic Reps. Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Greg Casar of Texas — the chair and whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, respectively — sitting stone-faced in their seats.
Both lawmakers had led the charge on the left against a Senate border security deal that collapsed weeks ago.
“It was not a bill that I would have voted for or could support, because it was so harsh and enforcement-only,” Jayapal told reporters earlier on Thursday.
Yet Biden and other Democrats have used the ill-fated legislation — which collapsed after facing GOP opposition for being not harsh enough — as a talking point, hoping to outflank Republicans on border security and immigration.
The two lawmakers were among several progressives who remained seated as Biden urged Congress to pass the bill, prompting a standing ovation from most Democrats.
“Get this bill done,” Biden said. “We need to act now.”
After Biden’s speech, Jayapal and Casar told Business Insider that they were disappointed by the exchange and the president’s remarks.
“It’s not an accurate way of talking about people, and it’s a hurtful way of talking about people,” said Casar, referring to the use of the term “illegal.”
The Texas lawmaker also said he doesn’t think the “exchange reflects what I think the President thinks.”
“Generally, I’ve found him and his team to be respectful of the immigrant experience,” said Casar. “I don’t engage with the gentlelady from Georgia. I don’t think he should’ve either.”
Jayapal said she had difficulty hearing the remarks, but similarly said Biden shouldn’t have taken the bait from Greene.
“I wish he hadn’t engaged with her,” said Jayapal. “I don’t think she deserved that.”
But while Jayapal and Casar struck a diplomatic tone, other progressives made it clear that they were upset with the president’s remarks.
Democratic Rep. Delia Ramirez of Illinois said she was “disappointed” to hear Biden use “dehumanizing right wing rhetoric” to describe immigrants.
Disappointed that @POTUS would use such dehumanizing right wing rhetoric to speak about immigrants tonight. No human being is illegal. #SOTU
— Delia Ramirez (@DeliaRamirezIL) March 8, 2024
Her Illinois colleague Rep. Chuy Garcia made a similar point, noting that he’s an immigrant from Mexico himself.
As a proud immigrant, I’m extremely disappointed to hear President Biden use the word “illegal.”
— Congressman Chuy García (@RepChuyGarcia) March 8, 2024
“Let me be clear,” wrote Rep. Ilhan Omar, the deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. “No human being is illegal.”
Let me be clear: No human being is illegal.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 8, 2024
The term “illegal” — particularly when used as a noun — has long been seen as dehumanizing among Democrats and progressives, though Republicans frequently employ it.
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on CNN that Biden “should’ve said undocumented” but was overall dismissive of the exchange.
“It’s not a big thing, okay?” Pelosi said. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
