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Migrant Quote by Jeff Flake

“Growing up with migrant workers, I knew that they usually worked harder than we did. Sometimes my dad and my uncles would hire a few of my buddies from school to help with the harvest or the branding; they would last maybe a day or two and were often unreliable. But our Mexican migrant laborers…” quote by Jeff Flake
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““Growing up with migrant workers, I knew that they usually worked harder than we did. Sometimes my dad and my uncles would hire a few of my buddies from school to help with the harvest or the branding; they would last maybe a day or two and were often unreliable. But our Mexican migrant laborers worked hard, and we could count on them. Because of this experience, I have always said that I could never look at these migrants and consider them criminals. They were working to feed their families, and we simply could not have gotten along without them. So when during the 2016 campaign Jeb Bush committed a sin of candor by saying that people crossing the border did it as an act of love, well, that’s exactly how I felt, too. And I said so at the time. Having grown up with migrant labor and with the Hispanic community that was here long before we were, I knew that what Jeb Bush was saying was true. Among those who were raised in rural Arizona, it is much more difficult to summon the vitriol for immigrants that fuels so much of the politics in the age of Trump. Of course, Jeb Bush was savaged for saying what he said, just mocked mercilessly. But then, unlike his critics, he knew what he was talking about and dared to speak truthfully, which is both a rarity and liability these days. We have to return to the politics of comity and inclusion and reject the politics of xenophobia and demonization.””

Jeff Flake

About This Quote

Source Speech: 2016 political commentary

Personal experience with migrant workers shaped a compassionate view, urging inclusion over xenophobia, citing Jeb Bush’s controversial but truthful statement.

In simple terms: Respect migrants’ contributions.

Key Takeaway

Support inclusion.

Themes

immigration compassion politics

Mood

thoughtful political

Type

political persuasive

When to use this quote

  • policy debates
  • community building
  • education
  • advocacy

Key Concepts

social justice personal narrative

Questions to Reflect On

  • How can personal experience inform policy?
  • What are the limits of “comity” in politics?
A Different Perspective

Risk of oversimplifying complex immigration issues.

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