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EXCLUSIVE: Rep. Carlos Gimenez, the lawmaker who fled the Castros’ communist regime as a youth, put forward a resolution Friday to boot “Squad” member Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., from the Homeland Security committee for violating her oath of office.
The resolution cites Ramirez’s comments in Spanish during an event in Mexico City earlier this week, in which she declared, “I am a proud Guatemalan before I am an American.”
“I was born in Cuba and exiled from my homeland shortly after the communist takeover,” Gimenez, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital on Friday, just before he filed the bill during the House’s brief pro-forma session.
“Everything I am, I owe to this exceptional country of limitless opportunities that paved the way for a Cuban refugee like me to become a firefighter, fire chief, city manager, county commissioner, county mayor, and yes, even a member of Congress.”
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“Only in America,” said Gimenez, who is the only Cuban-born member of Congress.
While an immigrant himself, Gimenez said that when a fellow lawmaker “openly declares allegiance to a foreign nation” over the U.S., they lose the right to be in certain positions in the federal government.
“It is not only unacceptable, it is disqualifying for service on a committee tasked with securing our homeland,” he said.
Gimenez also serves on the House Homeland Security Committee, chairing its maritime and transportation subcommittee.
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Blowback continued online throughout the week, with actor James Woods quipping, “Well, okay then, Hasta La Vista.”
Conservative commentator Matt Walsh added that Ramirez should be arrested.
Ramirez’ office directed Fox News Digital to a statement on the blowback the Chicagoan received after her comments south of the border.
The statement said, “Republican commentators” and the social media presence for the Department of Homeland Security wrongly attacked her for “showing pride in her multi-cultural, multi-ethnic heritage.”
Ramirez said she is a U.S. citizen by birth and that the attacks over the past days were “a weak attempt to silence my dissent and invalidate my patriotic criticism of the nativist, White supremacist, authoritarians in government. It is the definition of hypocrisy that members of Congress, who betray their oath each day they enable Trump, are attacking me for celebrating my Guatemalan-American roots.”
Ramirez added that “no one questions” her many colleagues who celebrate their Irish ancestry, or others of similar Caucasian descent.
“I am the daughter of immigrants and the daughter of America. I am both Chapina and American. I am from both Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois.”
Ramirez later offered a formal response to Fox News Digital, saying she saw Gimenez’ effort coming.
“It’s not normal, but it’s predictable. I am the most progressive member of Congress on the Committee on Homeland Security,” Ramirez said.
“I speak out and was the first to call for Noem’s resignation for the many ways she is violating our civil rights and undermining the Constitution. The Trump administration and Republicans in Congress are attacking me because they hate what I stand for: I represent diversity, I fight for equity, and I demand inclusion.”
“They will use any opportunity to misconstrue what I said and weaponize it to attack me. I have and will continue to use my voice, my heritage, and my experience to defend everyone in America, our Constitution, and our rights,” the Chicago congresswoman concluded.
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