As with the focus on “voter fraud,” part of the focus on immigration stems from electoral concerns. Immigrants tend to vote more heavily Democratic, and Democratic support for immigration policies is framed as being an effort to skew elections. In September 2016, Trump asserted that if he lost Republicans would never win another election, because Democrats would give citizenship — and the franchise — to as many people as possible. It’s a different sort of fearmongering that plays to the partisan moment. But it also frames immigrants as the opposition in another way, one that allows those opposing immigration to step away from the frequent racial undertones of that opposition.<doc-sep>Fox News host Laura Ingraham claimed Thursday that her angry rant the previous evening about demographic changes in America had nothing to do with race or xenophobia. Wednesday, the Fox News host had lamented demographic changes in the United States, and claimed that Democrats like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez were attempting to “remake” the country. Citing the Democratic congressional nominee’s critique of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, she launched into a screed about the left’s embrace of immigrants. “In some parts of the country, it does seem like the America we know and love doesn’t exist anymore,” Ingraham said. “Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people. And they’re changes that none of us ever voted for and most of us don’t like. From Virginia to California, we see stark examples of how radically in some ways the country has changed. Now much of this is related to both illegal, and in some cases, legal immigration that, of course, progressives love.” After the segment was widely condemned by many Democrats and Republicans for its overt racial overtones, Ingraham on Thursday took to the air to deny that she had referred to immigrants or people of color at all. “The purpose of last night’s Angle was to point out that the rule of law, meaning secure borders, is something that used to bind our country together,” she said. “And despite what some may be contending, I made explicitly clear that my commentary had nothing to do with race or ethnicity, but rather a shared goal of keeping America safe and her citizens safe and prosperous.” While she said that “merit based immigration does wonders for our country’s economy,” Ingraham did not clarify Thursday why she had said Wednesday that legal immigrants were part of the negative demographic shifts that had been “foisted on the American people.” Both Ingraham and fellow Fox News primetime host Tucker Carlson have been criticized over the past year for racially charged rhetoric. And while their comments have garnered scorn in mainstream news outlets, they have earned praise among a different group: white nationalists. Before Ingraham returned to the air Thursday, white nationalists including former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke had praised the Fox News host for her comments on Wednesday. “One of the most important (truthful) monologues in the history of MSM,” he wrote in a since deleted tweet about Igraham’s monologue. During her show on Thursday, Ingraham distanced herself from Duke and other white nationalists, saying that they were "distorting my views." "You do not have my support, you don't represent my views, and you are antithetical to the beliefs I hold dear," Ingraham said.<doc-sep>Fox News host Laura Ingraham went on TV on Wednesday to explain that allowing immigrants into the country is why *checks notes* the America we know and love doesn't exist anymore. Ingraham was reacting to an interview Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez gave on the podcast Pod Save America, where she talked about how the country and the upper-middle class has changed since the ‘90s. “As if she knows all of America from her loft in Queens,” Ingraham said, mocking the congressional candidate. As seen in the video below, Ingraham explained that Ocasio-Cortez is "kind of right in a general sense" since "in some parts of the country, it does seem like the America we know and love doesn't exist anymore. Massive demographic changes have been foisted on the American people. They're changes none of us ever voted for, and most of us don't like." She says this is related to "both illegal and in some cases legal immigration, which, of course, progressives love." This content is imported from YouTube. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. She goes on from there, repeatedly calling undocumented immigrants "illegals," arguing for border walls, and saying that undocumented immigrants are committing crimes across the country. Though she conveniently never mentions that the United States has also traumatized and forcibly drugged migrant children who were separated from their parents because, of course, that has nothing to do with the America we know and love! On Twitter, people immediately reacted to Ingraham's comments, with some calling her a white supremacist: This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Fox News' Laura Ingraham gives unmitigated, overt racism a try. "...the America that we know and love doesn't exist anymore. Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people. ... Much of this is related to both illegal and in some cases legal immigration." pic.twitter.com/LGYpvM0CBq — Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) August 9, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. The Defense of White Supremacy by @IngrahamAngle. https://t.co/FIs0eey8S3 — Michael Skolnik (@MichaelSkolnik) August 9, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Dear Laura Ingraham: I served on active duty to defend your right to make racist statements. America is not a race or demographic. It's a beautiful & bold idea, based on life, liberty & the pursuit of happiness. You @IngrahamAngle are no more American than I am or others are. https://t.co/Op7rnjak5o — Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) August 9, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Dear Laura Ingraham, diversity makes America stronger. — Christina Ginn (@ChristinaKVUE) August 9, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Speak for yourself, and every other last gasp of a dying gen, @IngrahamAngle. WE love this country’s diversity. https://t.co/2GijMcK6vA — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) August 9, 2018 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Laura Ingraham getting straight to the white nationalist red meat tonight https://t.co/bdRGAzz6bJ — Brandon Wall (@Walldo) August 9, 2018 Madison Feller Madison is a staff writer at ELLE.com, covering news, politics, and culture. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>“The America we know and love doesn’t exist anymore,” Fox News host Laura Ingraham said last night (Aug. 8) in a segment directed at Democratic congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. “Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people. And they’re changes that none of us ever voted for and most of us don’t like,” she said, adding that she was referring to both “illegal and legal immigration.” (Ocasio-Cortez, who upset incumbent Joseph Crowley in a primary and is the favorite to replace him in his New York City district, was born in the US, as were her parents. Ingraham was responding to Ocasio-Cortez’s recent comments that the upper middle class in America is disappearing.) Ingraham’s divisive and racist words could incite more hatred towards immigrants in the US, particularly those from Central America and Mexico who are falsely singled out by conservative pundits as fueling crime and stealing jobs. What appears to be lost on Ingraham is how hurtful her words could be in her own home. Ingraham’s daughter, a young teenager, is an immigrant. She adopted the girl from Guatemala in 2008, when she was a 3-year-old orphan, and described her action at the time as the “best thing I’ve ever done.” She was even learning Spanish, she said then. “I see purpose in the eyes of a beautiful three-year-old little girl whom I spent years attempting to adopt,” she said in a speech that year. “Last month, I was blessed to fly to Guatemala to finally pick her up and bring her home.” (Ingraham also adopted two sons from Russia, a nationality that has not been singled out by the Trump administration or right-wing pundits for the same hatred). Ingraham spent years “perfecting the public performance of conservative firebrand,” the Washington Post wrote last year, and her latest tirade is part of a conservative talking-head tradition of saying incendiary things to stir up controversy and get ratings. Some like, Infowars’ Alex Jones—who is being sued by parents of children killed in the Sandy Hook massacre—claims that the things he says on-air are just part of a character he’s playing. What kind of character is Laura Ingraham playing now?<doc-sep>
Fox News host Laura Ingraham tonight attempted to clarify controversial remarks she made Wednesday on her show, The Ingraham Angle. Ingraham said Wednesday that Congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-NY) criticisms of Democratic leadership as out of touch was off-base. But then she took it a bit further. “Because in some parts of the country, it does seem like the America that we know and love doesn’t exist anymore,” Ingraham said. “Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people and they’re changes that none of us ever voted for and most of us don’t like. From Virginia to California, we see stark examples of how radically in some ways the country has changed. Now, much of this is related to both illegal and in some cases, legal immigration that, of course, progressives love.” Tonight, Ingraham attempted to clarify some of her remarks. “I want to start by addressing my commentary at the top of last night’s show,” she said. “A message to those who are distorting my views, including all white nationalists and especially one racist freak whose name I will not even mention. You do not have my support, you don’t represent my views and you are antithetical to the beliefs I hold dear.” Ingraham continued: “The purpose of last night’s angle was to point out that the rule of law – meaning secure borders – is something that used to bind our country together. And despite what some may be contending – I made explicitly clear that my commentary had nothing to do with race or ethnicity, but rather a shared goal of keeping America safe, and her citizens safe and prosperous.” Ingraham said that she wanted to make it clear that “my concern will continue to remain with the families who have suffered the tragic results of illegal immigration, the children put in dangerous and unfair situations at the border, and all those border agents around the country who work to keep our country safe.”