House Democratic honchos ripped the Republican Party as "xenophobic" for opposing a measure pushed by President Obama and key left-leaning politicos to allow illegal immigrants the ability to serve in the U.S. military.
"I would hate to see the time and the talent and the desire of these young people to serve their country squashed by people who will attack them at every turn for no reason simply than they are 'other,'" said Rep. Linda Sanchez, who heads the Congressional Hispanic Congress, the Hill reported.
As WND reported, Democrats have tacked an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act to let illegals already approved for deferred deportation – under Obama's Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program – serve in America's military. Critics, like Iowa's Rep. Steve King, say it's an "amnesty amendment" that is unconstitutional.
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But Democrats are digging in to defend the amendment, slamming Republicans in the process.
"This is yet another example of anti-immigrant attitude on the part of the House Republicans," said House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. "This xenophobic, anti-newcomer attitude is something that is un-American."
And this, from House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, the Hill reported: "I would hope that our Republican friends would come to their senses [and] would not be blinded by prejudice or a desire to exclude, but be motivated by a desire to recognize the patriotism and desire to serve of these young people."
Republicans, however, won the matter in a late-hour Thursday vote to strip the measure from the appropriations bill. As Breitbart reported, however, 20 in the GOP voted to keep it in. Among: Reps. Mike Coffman, Richard Hanna, Eleana Ros-Lehtinen, Fred Upton and Martha McSally.