Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) shot down a bizarre comparison that Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) made to caravan migrants after an altercation involving tear gas at the border.
Ocasio-Cortez was commenting from her social media account about tear gas being used by border officials to drive off caravan migrants who were trying to force their way through the border fence on Sunday.
"Asking to be considered a refugee & applying for status isn’t a crime," Ocasio-Cortez tweeted.
"It wasn’t for Jewish families fleeing Germany," she added. "It wasn’t for targeted families fleeing Rwanda."
"It wasn’t for communities fleeing war-torn Syria," she continued. "And it isn’t for those fleeing violence in Central America."
Ocasio-Cortez was widely criticized and mocked from many on the right for comparing Jews fleeing Nazi persecution and caravan migrants fleeing their home countries.
'Take a tour of the Holocaust Museum'
Graham took a swipe at Ocasio-Cortez, implying that she needed to educate herself on the plight of the Jews before comparing them to migrants.
"I recommend she take a tour of the Holocaust Museum in D.C.," Graham tweeted.
I recommend she take a tour of the Holocaust Museum in DC. Might help her better understand the differences betw… https://t.co/LZrP5mGzCa— Lindsey Graham (@Lindsey Graham) 1543256425.0
"Might help her better understand the differences between the Holocaust and the caravan in Tijuana," he added.
Graham continued to explain why immigration has been such a difficult issue for lawmakers to address and correct, speaking as "someone who has worked for over a decade to fix our nation’s broken immigration system."
"The current chaos at our southern border must be dealt with properly or we will never find a solution to our broken immigration system," he tweeted. "Everyone who supports dealing fairly with illegal immigrants already in the United States should make it clear the lawless behavior occurring at the southern border crossing will not be tolerated."
"We are a nation of immigrants," he added. "We are also a kind and generous people. But Americans will not be played for fools."
"I have worked with many Democrats who have compassion for illegal immigrants already in the United States," he continued. "In order to solve this problem, now is the time for Democrats to be clear that they too oppose the lawless behavior from illegal immigrants at the border."
Ocasio-Cortez fired back at his criticism, saying, "the point of such a treasured museum is to bring its lessons to present day."
.@LindseyGrahamSC, the point of such a treasured museum is to bring its lessons to present day. This administratio… https://t.co/zsbT2CcKUK— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez) 1543279259.0
"This administration has jailed children and violated human rights," she added. "Perhaps we should stop pretending that authoritarianism + violence is a historical event instead of a growing force."