Advertisement
Trump official mangles Statue of Liberty poem to suit president’s anti-immigration agenda
- Acting US immigration chief Ken Cuccinelli said the famous lines were about ‘people coming from Europe’ who can ‘stand on their own two feet’
- The original poem, taken from Emma Lazarus’ ‘The New Colossus’, makes no mention of economic self-sufficiency
Reading Time:3 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
A top Trump administration official came under fire on Tuesday for twisting the words of the famous inscription on the Statue of Liberty welcoming immigrants into the United States.
Advertisement
“Give me your tired and your poor who can stand on their own two feet and who will not become a public charge,” acting US immigration chief Ken Cuccinelli said on National Public Radio when asked if the lines, taken from Emma Lazarus’ The New Colossus, are “part of the American ethos”.
The original poem makes no mention of economic self-sufficiency, saying: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.”
Cuccinelli made the remark as he discussed new rules by President Donald Trump’s administration that aim to deny permanent residency and citizenship to migrants who receive food stamps, public health care and other welfare benefits. He also said in an interview with CNN on Tuesday night that the lines were meant to be about “people coming from Europe”.
Democratic presidential candidates were among the first to take issue with Cuccinelli’s comments.
Advertisement
Advertisement