May 17, 2018
Trump Draws Rebuke for Calling Some Immigrants 'Animals'
Jill Colvin READ TIME: 1 MIN.
President Donald Trump is drawing criticism after referring to some people who cross the border illegally as "animals."
During a White House roundtable discussion on immigration, Trump said, "You wouldn't believe how bad these people are. These aren't people. These are animals."
Trump made the remark after a comment from law enforcement about trying to stop people at the border, including MS-13 gang members.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer responded on Twitter, saying, "When all of our great-great-grandparents came to America they weren't "animals," and these people aren't either."
The focus of the roundtable meeting was a California law that took effect this year that bars police from asking people about their immigration status or from helping federal agents with immigration enforcement. Trump and Republicans have railed against that law.
