Congress could announce an immigration reform package any minute now, but let's briefly consider just how ridiculous (nevermind hateful) the rhetoric on immigration has gotten in Washington. This post at the Austin American-Stateman's immigration blog highlights an outrageous comment made last week by Republican Congressman Steve King, a real-live wacko from Iowa, who said that in order for immigrants to properly assimilate into American society, they should adopt "dispersed family values." As in, they should live separated from all their relatives across various states and time-zones like he does, and reject "Latino family values" that traditionally dictate living as close to all your relatives as possible:
"I look across at my family, at many of the families that I know…we are scattered all over the country…isn’t it reasonable to expect that people that arrive here as immigrants, who would assimilate into this culture, might adopt those same kind of dispersed family values,” said Rep. Steve King of Iowa, at a House hearing.
Congressman Luis Gutierrez, who lives near his parents and kids in Chicago, appeared "baffled" at the discussion. Hold on, how about this: A Utah Republican who says Satan, Lucifer himself, is behind immigration! Imbécil. Such alarmism would be hilarious if it weren't so dangerous. Previous noteworthy posts on immigration from Intersections are here, here, here, here, here, and here. * Photo from the U.S. Census.