WASHINGTON (AP) – Far-right Republican lawmakers analyze the creation of a bloc called America First, which, according to a document, seeks to defend “Anglo-Saxon traditions,” warning that mass immigration poses a danger to the country’s “own identity” .
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the document following a scoop from Punchbowl News, a news outlet that covers Congress. The AP could not independently confirm the origin of the organization or its current status, but Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz said he was joining the initiative and that his right-wing co-religionist Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was the driving force.
The document was released while the Republican Party is having difficulty determining its orientation for the 2022 elections, in which it will try to regain the lost majority in both houses. One of the factors of internal division is to what extent it follows the leadership of Donald Trump, and the seven-page platform of the bloc clearly adopts the vision of the world of the former president.
“The United States First Caucus (AFC) exists to advance legislative policies for the long-term benefit of the American nation,” the document says at the beginning. He adds that his goal is “to follow in President Trump’s footsteps and possibly upset some people and sacrifice some vested interests for the good of the American nation.”
The caucus demands that legal immigration be limited to “those who not only can make financial contributions but have demonstrated respect for the culture and the rule of law of this nation.” It declares its support for an infrastructure that “reflects the architectural, engineering and aesthetic value worthy of the progeny of European architecture.”
House Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy released a statement on Twitter that a contributor said was directed at the group.
“America stands on the idea that we are all created equal and that success is achieved through honest and hard work. It does not rise above identity, race or religion, ”McCarthy wrote. “The Republican Party is Lincoln’s party and the party of greatest opportunity for all Americans, not the nativist innuendo.”
Punchbowl said the group was linked to Greene and Congressman Paul Gosar, but the legislator’s spokesman, Nick Dyer, said that “this document released by Punchbowl was never approved or accepted by Congressman Greene.”
Rep. Louie Gohmert of Texas said he was studying whether to join the bloc and answered “yes” to the question of whether Greene and Gosar were participants.
Gaetz tweeted: “I am proud to join @mtgreenee in the #AmericaFirst Caucus. We will end wars, stop illegal immigration, and promote fair trade to American workers. ” Federal authorities are investigating Gaetz for allegations of sex trafficking, according to sources who described the probe on condition of anonymity.
The document attacks immigration in particular. The administration of President Joe Biden has had trouble handling the large number of migrants at the border with Mexico and little success with its legislative bills.
“The United States is a nation with a border and a culture, reinforced by a common respect for properly Anglo-Saxon political traditions,” says the newspaper. “History has shown that social trust and political unity are threatened when foreign citizens are massively imported into a country.”
The document repeats Trump’s false allegations that the “recent election results demonstrate that the integrity of our elections is compromised.” He also condemns the measures taken to curb the pandemic, such as the order to wear a mask in public, maintain social distancing and confinements because “they condition the culture and behavior of Americans” and destroy the economy.
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