As every sentient diplomat knows, diplomacy uses the reputation of power to achieve what power itself often cannot achieve, or can achieve only at greater and sometimes excessive cost.—Colin L. Powell
U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett broke her silence on Monday over past controversial comments about Latino and Hispanic immigrants.
In early April, while speaking at Grace Baptist Church’s 125th Anniversary Program, Crockett appeared to imply that immigrants need to be in the country because “none of y’all trying to go and farm right now.”
“So, I had to go around the country educating people about what immigrants do for this country and the fact that we are a country of immigrants,” Crockett said at the April event. “The fact is ain’t none of y’all trying to go and farm right now. You not! You not! We’re done picking cotton. We are! You can’t pay us enough to find a plantation.”
Crockett’s comments resurfaced last week after her recent entrance into the U.S. Senate race for U.S. Senator John Cornyn’s seat.
Her remarks quickly went viral and spurred backlash online.
One X user wrote, “So your argument is, from the people always talking about slavery and how bad it was, that we need, essentially, slaves?” Another wrote, “Crockett thinks she’s being clever by being racist.”
Crockett, who had not addressed the comments before, shared a statement on Monday, saying her “point then-and now-is to highlight the shared struggle between Black and Brown communities. She said she would never “be silent about injustice” but would always “be open to learning when my words miss the mark.”
The Dallas-area congresswoman lauded her resume as a public defender, civil rights attorney, former state representative, and now, as a U.S. representative, “standing up for systems that dehumanize people.”
Crockett also spoke about ICE’s crackdown on immigration, referencing cases such as 19-year-old Babson College freshman Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, who was taken into ICE custody after trying to fly home to spend Thanksgiving with her family in Texas, and and the death of an 11-year-old girl who reportedly committed suicide after being teased that ICE would deport her parents.
Crockett then condemned Cornyn and GOP challenger Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s records of harming Latino communities.
“Playing by the same tired playbook isn’t getting us anywhere: people are struggling to keep up with the price of groceries, medicine, gas and electricity. While the Republican party attempts to divide us by calling Latinos ‘rapists’ and ‘criminals’ from ‘s–thole countries,’ I fight for Texans’ dignity, their safety and their economic freedom,” Crockett said. “Not just when it’s politically convenient, but every single day.”
Chron contacted Crockett’s camp for further comment, but they deferred to the statement already shared.
Crockett launched her bid for U.S. Senate after teasing a potential bid for months amid widespread speculation she would enter the race. She will face Democratic challenger state Rep. James Talarico in the Democratic primary. Former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred dropped out of the race the same day the Dallas-area congresswoman officially announced her candidacy.
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