With the White House constantly referring to COVID-19 as the "Chinese Virus," many other members of the GOP are also removing their feet from their mouths after similarly racist comments.
The latest to draw criticism for his racist response to the Novel Coronavirus is Kentucky's Republican junior Senator Rand Paul.
While addressing his congressional colleagues Wednesday, Paul referred to United States residents without Social Security numbers as "non-people." Paul's remarks came while he tried to get an amendment he created added to the Coronavirus Relief Package.
You can see his remarks here:
Paul said:
"If you want to apply for money from the government through the child tax credit program, then you have to be a legitimate person."
"It has nothing to do with not liking immigrants. It has to do with saying, taxpayer money shouldn't go to non-people."
However, immigration think tank New American Economy found undocumented immigrants—Paul's "non-people"—contributed $13 billion to Social Security in 2016.
@daralynn13/Twitter
After the backlash, Paul backpedaled hard.
His office said Paul referred to claims made by undocumented immigrants for child tax credits for children that do not exist. However while undocumented immigrants are able to claim a child tax credit, it is only on children born in the United States who have social security numbers.
Paul is either ignorant of tax codes or his excuse is dependent on others being ill informed. After his comments on the Senate floor, Paul went on to be one of only 8 Senators that opposed to a coronavirus relief bill.
By Wednesday evening, Paul's fans were few on social media.
@mmpadellan/Twitter
The bill Paul fought and voted against was the COVID-19 relief measure passed in the House. Unlike other House bills, voting did not go along party lines. In the end, the bill passed in the Senate with a vote of 90 for and 8 against.
The bill now goes to President Donald Trump who is expected to sign it.
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