Meanwhile at DNC, Undocumented Immigrants Take the Stag
On Monday night, Governor McCrory and Senator Richard Burr joined Donald Trump on stage for a rally in Winston-Salem, ending months of speculation surrounding their support for him. It is clear now that McCrory and Burr have fully embraced Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda for the country, and they will be his foot soldiers from now until November.
Senator Burr’s presence on the stage was a remarkable sight given his efforts to dodge being seen with Trump. While Burr has always been lockstep with Trump’s anti-immigrant agenda, it appears that he has finally given up the charade and will now be a regular on the campaign trail with Trump.
McCrory, for his part, began his speech with discriminating comments about transgender people and then launched into a fact-defying tirade about Syrian refugees. While the GOP exchanges dog whistles for overt racism, there is little doubt about McCrory’s message to North Carolinians: if you are Muslim, an immigrant, or LGBTQ, you are not welcome in North Carolina.
The GOP rally in Winston-Salem last night stands in stark contrast to the first night of the Democratic National Convention in Philadelphia, where two undocumented immigrants delivered moving speeches about the fears they face every day and their hopes for the future. Their voices echo a Gallup poll released last week that shows 84% of Americans favor a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
“While Trump, McCrory, and Burr have united behind a divisive anti-immigrant agenda for the country, the vast majority of Americans want the complete opposite,” said Tim Eakins, Director of North Carolina’s Voice. “When North Carolinians turn out to vote this November in strong numbers, I’m confident we will defeat the Republicans’ hateful agenda.”
