House Democrat Rep. Delia Ramirez says that she is "both Chapina and American" in a statement pushing back against fierce criticism of a comment that she recently made about her Guatemalan ties. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)
When retweeting the post, DHS shared a quote, which it attributed to Theodore Roosevelt: "There is no room in this country for hyphenated Americanism...Americanism is a matter of the spirit and of the soul. Our allegiance must be purely to the United States. We must unsparingly condemn any man who holds any other allegiance."
Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., called for the congresswoman to be deported.
"Denaturalize, deport, and kick her off Homeland Committee. We know where her allegiances lie," Ogles wrote on X.
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Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., called for Rep. Delia Ramirez, D-Ill., to be deported after she stated allegiances to Guatemalan heritage. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Ramirez pushed back against the wave of criticism in a lengthy statement.
"Let’s call it what it is: today’s attacks are 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," she asserted.
"No one questions when my white colleagues identify as Irish-American, Italian-American, or Ukrainian-American to honor their ancestry. I’ve consistently expressed pride in my heritage and history - a pride also often reflected in the origin stories of my colleagues. Only those who believe America should not include the children of immigrants or be diverse would attack me - and Americans like me - for honoring my roots," Ramirez continued.
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Ramirez stated that honoring her "Guatemalan ancestry" strengthens her "commitment to America," adding that she is one of many Americans who represent the "idea of America."
"We are the living and breathing realization of the idea of America – a place where a multicultural, multiracial democracy can prosper. 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.
"Anyone who denies our claim on this country simply because we dare to honor our diverse heritage and immigrant roots only exposes how fragile and small-minded their own idea of America really is," Ramirez concluded.
Alex Nitzberg is a writer for Fox News Digital.
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https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dem-doubles-down-amid-firestorm-criticism-guatemalan-loyalty-both-chapina-american