To the editor:
“As a public health advocate, I was glad to hear President Biden leverage his annual State of the Union address to discuss the importance of lowering health care costs for millions of Americans and protecting the Affordable Care Act.
However, as a Latina immigrant and a leader in the Latine community, I cannot overlook Mr. Biden’s use of the word “illegal” to describe an undocumented immigrant. Such word choices are laced with racism and serve only to dehumanize immigrants.
Mr. Biden has spent months distinguishing himself from Donald Trump’s and Republicans’ anti-immigrant rhetoric. It’s this distinction that he hopes will drive Latine communities to the polls in November.
His choice of words does not reflect those efforts, and I hope he apologizes to the immigrant community, which we know is vital to the nation.”
Seciah Aquino
Los Angeles
The writer is executive director of the Latino Coalition for a Healthy California.
Read the full Letter to the Editor on the New York Times…
