Press Releases

Wednesday night, the Republican Party’s campaign arm, led by Rep. Richard Hudson (N.C.-09) called the Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, Rep. Adriano Espaillat (N.Y.-13) an “illegal immigrant.”

Congressman Espaillat is a U.S. citizen who has held multiple elected positions and has for decades honored his oaths to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States from all enemies foreign and domestic. Espaillat came to this country as a child – as a dreamer – regularized his status, naturalized as a United States citizen and became an embodiment of the American Dream.

Hudson and congressional Republicans don’t believe in the laws of the United States – they don’t believe we were all endowed by our creator with the inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To congressional Republicans, anyone who does not align with their twisted ideals is, and always will be, an “illegal.”

The Tri-Caucus – the Congressional Black Caucus, the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus and the Congressional Hispanic Caucus – and all Democrats believe in the laws and Constitution of the United States. We support Chair Adriano Espaillat – an exemplary U.S. citizen – and we reject the xenophobes who have invaded the Republican Party.