Nancy Pelosi: Americans Should Treat Immigration Influx As 'Opportunity' to Help 'God's Children'
House Minority leader Nancy Pelosi recently said while visiting the U.S.-Mexico border this past weekend that Americans should see the influx of children immigrating to the U.S. as an "opportunity," rather than a "crisis," arguing that they are all "God's children."
The House Democratic leader made her comments while visiting the Texas-Mexico border over the weekend. According to Fox News, Pelosi argued on Saturday that Americans should see the influx of immigrating children as a humanitarian opportunity, rather than a crisis, although the Democrat did admit that the situation has "crisis qualities."
"This crisis that some call a crisis, we have to view as an opportunity," Pelosi said. "If you believe as we do that every child, every person has a spark of divinity in them, and is therefore worthy of respect – what we saw in those rooms was [a] dazzling, sparkling, array of God's children, worthy of respect."
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Pelosi added that the influx should serve as an "opportunity to show who we are as Americans, that we do respect people for their dignity and worth."
The House Minority Leader made her comment as the Obama administration prepares to ask for added funding totaling $2 billion to better handle the surge of immigrants crossing the U.S. border. Additionally, the administration has assigned Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Craig Fugate to deal with the surge at a federal level.
According to The Washington Times, an estimated 60,000 to 90,000 children are expected to illegally cross the U.S. border by the end of the year. Most of the children travel from South America, through Mexico and cross into the U.S. via Texas.
Many Republicans have classified the surge of immigrants as a crisis, and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was quick to criticize Pelosi's comments, saying the House Minority Leader was either "speaking such gibberish, considering her track record, or confessing one heck of a great conversion."
"How sincere is this politician's concern? Never seen as a pro-child/pro-life advocate with respect for that sacred 'spark of divinity' in every innocent human life in the womb, Ms. Pelosi often touts her Catholic faith but overlooks this doctrine her Church has preached for 2000 years," Palin wrote on her Facebook page on Sunday.
"Hopefully she's changed her tune on the issue of life – in which case, I'm sure she'll invite those who understand the impact a culture of life can have on America to use her new, refreshing advocacy statement."
"Her words yesterday are the foundational pro-life message that can educate those in her party who constantly claim to be 'for the children' in one breath, but in their next breath advocate snuffing out the life of innocent children soon-to-be-born. Cynics (or those of us living in reality) recognize typical liberal hypocrisy here, but then again we can hope this is revelation of a profound Pelosi political conversion! Though I won't hold my breath," Palin concluded.
