During the first and only vice presidential debate between Sen. Tim Kaine (D) and Gov Mike Pence (R) the issue of illegal immigration reform took center stage when Kaine brought up Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump's past remarks about Mexicans.
Here is what Kaine said:
"When Donald Trump says women should be punished, that Mexicans are rapists and criminals, he is showing you who he is."
Pence then said:
"Senator, you whipped out that Mexican thing again," adding "Look, there are criminal aliens in this country, Tim, who have come into this country illegally, who are perpetrating violence and taking American lives."
Pence's remark that was aimed at the "Mexican" reference Kaine's made in his attempt to cast the dispersion that Trump was anti-Mexican, anti-Hispanic, has sparked a sort of rally cry for those sympathetic to the plight of illegal immigrants.
Here is what Donald Trump first said to infuriate some Hispanics:
"When Mexico sends its people, they're not sending the best. They're not sending you, they're sending people that have lots of problems and they're bringing those problems...They're bringing drugs, they're bringing crime. They're rapists and some, I assume, are good people, but I speak to border guards and they're telling us what we're getting." (Trump Accurate Mexican statement)
Hispanics and Hispanic politicians, including Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego, are now taking to Twitter to tell their immigration stories.
#ThatMexicanThing when you're the proud son of immigrants & support pro-Latino and pro-American policies to promote working families.
— Ruben Gallego (@RepRubenGallego) October 5, 2016
#thatMexicanThing where we come to make a better life for our families and kids & have to endure hatred, bigotry &a prejudice #VPDebate
— Juan Altamirano (@altamirajuan) October 5, 2016
Here are some tweets in opposition to the pro-illegal immigration lobby
#ThatMexicanThing I've been robbed by Mexican illegals, and another time almost burned alive by arsonists. So ILLEGALS aren't my friends.
— Daxton Brown (@daxtonbrown) October 5, 2016
#ThatMexicanThing Where all my ex-boyfriend's heroin dealers didn't speak a word of English. Time to close the borders and purge the drugs
— Ames? (@VivaLaAmes) October 5, 2016
Arizona has long been considered the entry way for the wave of drug and criminal activity into the United States.
Illegal immigration has been the number one issue concerning U.S. Citizens and Residents in Arizona since the trafficking of humans, guns, and drugs, are all inextricably tied together.
