Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezOn The Money: Weekly jobless claims fall to lowest level since lockdowns | Retail sales surge in March | Dow, S&P hit new records Ocasio-Cortez says she disagrees with holding up infrastructure over SALT Democrats battle over best path for Puerto Rico MORE (D-N.Y.) told Sen. Ted Cruz
Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzCruz no longer wearing mask in Capitol The Hill's Morning Report - Presented by Tax March - CDC in limbo on J&J vax verdict; Rep. Brady retiring Democrats brace for new 'defund the police' attacks MORE (R-Texas) that his resignation is “84 days past due” as the two sparred over the influx of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.
The encounter occurred on Twitter, where Ocasio-Cortez was explaining that she faced bipartisan opposition to improving conditions at the U.S-Mexico border. She called out “Ted Cruz types” who are taking trips to the border but had voted for policies that helped created the problem.
“And the fact is a LOT of Ted Cruz types who are now going down to meet refugee children in boats outfitted w/ machine guns are the ones who helped create this problem in the first place,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez further tweeted: “For all those who are brand new to this & only care about cages on a partisan basis, catch up: we‘ve been fighting our own party on immigration for a long time. This is the result of Congress endlessly dumping money into CBP/ICE cages vs humane policy”
For all those who are brand new to this & only care about cages on a partisan basis, catch up: we‘ve been fighting our own party on immigration for a long time.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 1, 2021
This is the result of Congress endlessly dumping money into CBP/ICE cages vs humane policyhttps://t.co/Uv68zrk8Fy
That tweet led Cruz to respond, “.@AOC explains the real Dem position: abolish ICE. Full open borders. Which would make the #BidenBorderCrisis even worse.”
“She says nothing else works. Really? Last year, we had the lowest illegal immigration IN 45 YEARS. This year, we have the highest in 20 years,” Cruz tweeted.
.@AOC explains the real Dem position: abolish ICE.
— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) April 1, 2021
Full open borders. Which would make the #BidenBorderCrisis even worse.
She says nothing else works.
Really?
Last year, we had the lowest illegal immigration IN 45 YEARS.
This year, we have the highest in 20 years. https://t.co/zT8wKuvkRm
Ocasio-Cortez then hit back at Cruz, calling him out for his February trip to Cancún, Mexico, as his state was dealing with extreme winter weather. She also said Cruz “funded cages, expanded cages, and yet you’re complaining about cages. You have no policy, just puff."
“Maybe Mexico shouldn’t let YOU in the next time you try to run away from your job to sip umbrella drinks in Cancún,” she tweeted. “A reminder that your resignation is 84 days past due. At least."
Ted, this is pretty rich coming from someone who fled their own home (and responsibilities) during an environmental crisis to cross the border and seek refuge in Mexico.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 1, 2021
Also you funded cages, expanded cages, and yet you’re complaining about cages. You have no policy, just puff. https://t.co/0MI8oU0EtQ
A reminder that your resignation is 84 days past due. At least.
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) April 1, 2021
The last quote appears to reference calls for Cruz’s resignation after critics accused the Texas Republican of helping to incite the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
The conversation comes as the Biden administration quickly grapples with an influx of migrants at the southern border. Democrats and Republicans alike have referred to the surge as a "crisis," and the GOP has largely blamed President BidenJoe BidenBiden administration still seizing land near border despite plans to stop building wall: report Olympics, climate on the agenda for Biden meeting with Japanese PM Boehner on Afghanistan: 'It's time to pull out the troops' MORE’s supposed lax border policies for the influx.
Ocasio-Cortez said during a virtual town hall that the conditions at the border were “barbaric” and “horrifying.”