Overview
"We are a nation of immigrants, and we are stronger because of it," says Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06), the longest-serving Indian American Member of Congress
Today, U.S. Representative Ami Bera, M.D. (CA-06), the longest-serving Indian American Member of Congress, released the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s Truth Social post attacking Indian immigrants and labeling India as a “hellhole”.
Donald Trump reposted a video clip on Truth Social from radio host Michael Savage, prompting widespread backlash about a post that criticizes birthright citizenship and describes India and China in derogatory terms. The debate centers on the Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which guarantees citizenship to anyone born in the United States, a policy Trump opposes but that courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States, have been reluctant to revisit.
The controversy draws attention to the outsized economic influence of Indian Americans, who only make up about 1.5% of the U.S. population but have a significant presence in technology, business, and high-income professions.
Bera’s statement read: “As the son of immigrants from India, I take great pride in both my heritage and in the country that gave my family the opportunity to build a better life. My parents came to the United States legally in search of that opportunity. My mother spent 35 years working as a public school teacher. My father worked as an engineer. They raised my brothers and me with a deep belief in hard work, public service, and giving back to the country that welcomed them.
“I am a product of that American story. I attended California’s public schools from kindergarten through medical school, became a doctor, and now have the privilege of serving our nation in Congress. That is what the American Dream looks like.
“The comments shared by President Trump are offensive, ignorant, and beneath the dignity of the office he holds. They reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of who we are as a nation. America has always been strengthened by generations of immigrants who come here, work hard, and contribute to our country. They do not weaken America — they strengthen it.
“America was built by people from all over the world who believed in its promise and worked tirelessly to make it better for the next generation. That’s the story of my family, and it’s the story of millions of families across this country.
“President Trump, who was born into wealth and privilege, has never had to struggle the way so many immigrant families have. He does not understand the grit, sacrifice, and determination it takes to build a life from the ground up. He does not understand public service, and he does not understand the values that make America the greatest nation in the world.
“We are a nation of immigrants, and we are stronger because of it.”