Arizona state lawmaker: Immigration is ‘existential threat’ to US

A Republican Arizona state lawmaker is drawing attention after calling immigration an “existential threat” to the U.S.

“If we don’t do something about immigration very, very soon, the demographics of our country will be irrevocably changed and we will be a very different country,” state Rep. David Stringer (R) said at the Yavapai County Republican Men’s Forum on Monday, according to video posted on social media. 

An AZ legislator made these overtly racist comments about our students. It’s time to remove xenophobic radicals from elected office this November! We deserve leaders who understand we’re a nation of immigrants who bring a diversity of experiences & ideas. https://t.co/P5I9QpUHDI pic.twitter.com/NSrJS2WZA3

— David Schapira (@dschapira) June 13, 2018

Stringer charged that “there aren’t enough white kids to go around” in Arizona schools, and that it will be reflected in the voting booth in 10 to 15 years. 

{mosads}”It’s going to change the demographic voting base of this state,” he added. “And that’s what’s going on around the country. Immigration is politically destabilizing. President Trump has talked about this. Immigration today represents an existential threat to the United States.”

David Schapira, a Democratic candidate for superintendent of Public Instruction, first posted a video of Stringer’s comments on Facebook, according to The Phoenix New Times. Schapira told the news outlet that he found the video on Stringer’s Facebook page. It has since been deleted. 

Immigration has become an increasingly controversial issue since Trump took office, and many GOP politicians have based campaigns, in part, on showing their support for his hardline policies. Last week, it was reported that an Arizona Senate candidate removed videos on her YouTube page of her defending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.