New York Governor Andrew Cuomo gave the Republican Party a short but pointed history lesson Thursday night at the Democratic National Convention, firing back at Donald Trump‘s harsh stance on immigration.
“The Trump campaign is marketing a great distraction, using people’s fear and anxiety to drive his ratings,” Cuomo said.
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“Their message comes down to this: be afraid of people who are different. Be afraid of different religions and different colours and different languages. Stop immigration. And they believe the nation will automatically rise.”
Republican nominee Trump has had choice words for immigrants in the United States — build a wall, ship them out, and don’t let them in.
Not only are Trump’s words divisive, delusional and simply not right, Cuomo said, the truth must be exposed.
“Republicans are suffering from short-term memory loss. Unless Republicans are all Native Americans, then they are immigrants too.”
Diversity is the U.S.’s greatest strength, said Cuomo, and anti-immigration policy will cut the nation in half.
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“We are not going to let that happen to our America,” Cuomo said.
While Trump was born and raised in the United States, all four of his grandparents were born outside of the U.S., as was his mother. He has also married two women born outside of the U.S., including his current wife — and potential future first lady — Melania Trump.
Trump will go head to head with Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for the job of leading the nation. Americans head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8.