In Response To State Of The Union, Democrats Focus Criticism On Migrant Family Separations And Gun Violence
Stacey Abrams, the former Democratic nominee for Georgia governor, gave the Democrats' response to the president's address. One of Abrams' main focuses was the controversial administration policy to separate migrant children and their parents at the border. Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was disappointed that the president didn't address gun violence during his speech.
The Wall Street Journal:
Abrams Targets Trump’s Immigration Policy In Democratic Response
Ms. Abrams sought to draw a contrast between Democrats’ support for border security with some of the administration’s most controversial practices, including separating families that cross into the U.S. illegally. “We know bipartisanship could craft a 21st century immigration plan, but this administration chooses to cage children and tear families apart,” she said. “Democrats stand ready to effectively secure our ports and borders. But we must all embrace that from agriculture to health care to entrepreneurship, America is made stronger by the presence of immigrants—not walls.” (Peterson and Andrews, 2/5)
The Associated Press:
AP Fact Check: Abrams On Children In Cages
A look at one of Democrat Stacey Abrams' statements from her response to President Donald Trump's State of the Union address on Tuesday night and how it compares with the facts. "We know bipartisanship could craft a 21st century immigration plan but this administration chooses to cage children and tear families apart," [Abrams said.] The cages that Abrams mentions are actually chain-link fences and the Obama administration used them, too. (Long, 2/5)
The Hill:
Pelosi Knocks Trump Speech: 'Completely Ignored The Gun Violence Epidemic'
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) panned President Trump's State of the Union address late Tuesday, noting that for all his warnings about threats against the United States, he did not discuss "the gun violence epidemic." "It will take days to fact-check all the misrepresentations that the President made tonight," Pelosi said in a statement after Trump's speech. "Instead of fear-mongering and manufacturing a crisis at the border, President Trump should commit to signing the bipartisan conference committee’s bill to keep government open and provide strong, smart border security solutions. (Samuels, 2/6)
