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On Wednesday, April 14, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a Republican, tweeted her state "won't be taking any illegal immigrants that the Biden Administration wants to relocate."
Noem was apparently unaware seeking asylum is a legal act according to federal law. Asylum seekers in federal custody are not "illegal immigrants."
Noem was telling unaccompanied minors arriving at the U.S. border to "call me when you're an American."
Noem—the descendant of Norwegian immigrants—posted her message on Twitter.
South Dakota won't be taking any illegal immigrants that the Biden Administration wants to relocate. My message to… https://t.co/1eRJvHoNQP— Governor Kristi Noem (@Governor Kristi Noem) 1618409183.0
The intentionally dismissive message aimed at the influx of children arriving at the U.S. border was called out as cruel by many on Twitter.
Many cited Noem's own immigrant heritage and hostile relationship with the Indigenous tribal nations in South Dakota.
@govkristinoem You don't know much about the history of your own state, do you? Your response speaks to the myriad… https://t.co/xYAZAOh9XH— Victoria Brownworth (@Victoria Brownworth) 1618431212.0
Who wants to tell South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem that she's living on land that was stolen from indigenous people by white immigrants?— Jake Lobin (@Jake Lobin) 1618438227.0
I would say ~2/3 of the central American children I've represented were ethnically indigenous. ~1/3 spoke Spanish a… https://t.co/6b1eyypFoC— Sara Afshar (@Sara Afshar) 1618516686.0
I’m going to retweet this only to say you do not know how much this comment breaks my heart. You are on our land. I… https://t.co/hKOrCBuBjQ— Remi Bald Eagle (@Remi Bald Eagle) 1618410515.0
South Dakota...where unwanted white people desecrated sacred indigenous land to search for gold. Kristi Noem is a… https://t.co/a3g6dwloWH— @FlyOverTruth (@@FlyOverTruth) 1618434094.0
Whose land are you on? https://t.co/CigbXNdJQF— Peter Daou (@Peter Daou) 1618434901.0
@IngrahamAngle Then she should leave, cuz last time I checked the land she speaks of doesn’t belong to her, cuz it… https://t.co/fTOxYQnFYb— Neeco Tripp (@Neeco Tripp) 1618492418.0
Lol...noem is clueless. https://t.co/iyPi7TYO0a— #M4A, OGLALA, INDIGENOUS, #MMT (@#M4A, OGLALA, INDIGENOUS, #MMT) 1618450501.0
@IngrahamAngle Then she should leave, cuz last time I checked the land she speaks of doesn’t belong to her, cuz it… https://t.co/fTOxYQnFYb— Neeco Tripp (@Neeco Tripp) 1618492418.0
@JakeLobin @RoArquette https://t.co/DlNwSisza7— AlaskaRaven907 (@AlaskaRaven907) 1618439612.0
@WaterDean The Lakota and Cheyenne tribes of South Dakota completely shut down their reservations in May. They put… https://t.co/hgz40XwDxQ— drhancock888 (@drhancock888) 1605382878.0
Noem's tweet should also put her on the wrong side of Christianity's Biblical New Testament directives.
Noem joins other Republican governors like
Henry McMaster of South Carolina and Pete Ricketts of Nebraska who have been attempting to prove their conservative bonafides by proudly refusing to take in child immigrants.
Many online pointed out immigrants may be hesitant to visit South Dakota anyway, considering its failure to contain the virus in a timely nature.
@govkristinoem Oh no, they'll miss out on living in the dystopian death trap you've enabled, oh no. https://t.co/1XllV86rqz— Kevin M. Kruse (@Kevin M. Kruse) 1618430570.0
The governor is referring to children applying for asylum, who need shelter while their cases are processed. Seekin… https://t.co/c4NYCNH3Ef— Catherine Rampell (@Catherine Rampell) 1618497514.0
Some of Twitter's naturalized United States citizens politely declined Noem's offer of a call.
Hey, I’m a legal immigrant. I guess, what’s your phone number and what kind of stuff are we going to talk about? Sh… https://t.co/PiQ3kmstTB— Eugene Mirman (@Eugene Mirman) 1618488622.0
Hear me out, if we merge the Dakotas back to one state, Kristi has to find a new job, and DC can become a state wit… https://t.co/PnUS7tolah— maura quint (@maura quint) 1618455781.0
South Dakota, you really have a terrible human at the helm. https://t.co/vFY5m6cVxQ— John Pavlovitz (@John Pavlovitz) 1618451597.0
Although the influx of unaccompanied minors at the border is a complex issue without any clear solutions, governors who represent Americans should not be proud of their cruelty when using children as political clout.