Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) took Trump campaign national finance committee chairwoman Kimberly Guilfoyle to task for claiming Monday evening at the Republican National Convention that her mother — who was born in Puerto Rico — was an “immigrant” to the United States, remarking:
“As a first generation American I know how dangerous their socialist agenda is.
“My mother Mercedes was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father, also an immigrant, came to this nation in pursuit of the American dream.”
However, there’s just one problem with Guilfoyle’s assertion of being from an immigrant family: Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so that means her mother was an American citizen from birth, as AOC reminded her on Twitter:
The woman the GOP picked as their “proud” Latina to tout “immigrant experience” didn’t seem to know that Puerto Rico is already part of the United States.
It’s quite on message, bc it reflects their belief that Latinos aren’t real citizens, even when we are Native descendants. https://t.co/I7iU3yEGT0
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) August 25, 2020
Others also wondered if Guilfoyle had even the slightest clue about anything she railed about as she shouted out her address on Monday evening:
Kimberly Guilfoyle is a first generation American??? Her people are from Aguadilla, PR. So is my grandfather. Puerto Ricans are American – last I checked. I’m horrified. And embarrassed as a fellow Latina. Shameful. #GOPConvention2020
— Sunny Hostin (@sunny) August 25, 2020
“Proud Latina” Kimberly Guilfoyle should know that Puerto Ricans like her mother Mercedes have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Therefore, she was not an “immigrant.”
— Andrea González-Ramírez (@andreagonram) August 25, 2020
Kimberly Guilfoyle says she is “a first generation American” pointing to her mother, “a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico,” and her father, “also an immigrant,” so it’s worth pointing out that Puerto Rico is a US Territory and its resident are US Citizens.
— DJ Judd (@DJJudd) August 25, 2020
Guilfoyle’s mistake might not be such a big deal if it wasn’t reflective of a larger problem in the Trump administration: Lying. President Donald Trump has told tens of thousands of lies since taking office and constantly lies on social media.
Sorry, Kimberly, but we can’t cut you any slack because you should know better and also because you hang out with pathological liars.
Featured Image Via NBC News
