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Michigan Republican lawmakers blast President Trump's 'go back' tweet

Posted at 3:28 PM, Jul 15, 2019
and last updated 2019-07-15 22:22:08-04

(WXYZ) — Three Republican congressmen and one Independent congressman from Michigan are reacting to President Donald Trump's weekend tweet where he implied four Democratic congresswomen, including Rep. Rashida Tlaib from Detroit, weren't natural-born American citizens.

The tweets came after many Democrats had been visiting the border, taking videos of holding facilities and declaring conditions inhumane.

Although Trump did not name the women, it is widely believed he was referring to Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota and Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts.

Trump implied in the series of tweets that the congresswomen weren't born in America and sarcastically suggested, "they go back and help fix the totally broken and crime infested places from which they came."

Rep. Justin Amash, who recently left the Republican party and represents west Michigan's third district, said, "To tell these American citizens (most of whom were born here) to “go back” to the “crime infested places from which they came” is racist and disgusting."

Rep. Paul Mitchell, who represents the 10th district, added, ".@RealDonaldTrump, we must be better than comments like these. I share the political frustrations with some members of the other party, but these comments are beneath leaders."

"Frankly I’m appalled by the President's tweets. There’s no excuse. Inflammatory rhetoric from both sides of the aisle that is used to divide us just isn’t right. It's not helpful," Rep. Fred Upton said on Twitter. "We have too many challenges facing us...that we ought to be working on together – immigration, the debt ceiling, the border crisis. The President’s tweets were flat out wrong and uncalled for, and I would encourage my colleagues from both parties to stop talking so much and start governing more."

Finally, Rep. Bill Huizenga, who represents the second district, said, "I strongly disagree with what the President said in a series of tweets over the weekend. Every duly elected official needs to lead by example, end the personal character assassination attacks, and focus on finding ways to work together to make America the very best it can be. We are better than this, let’s start showing it."

Tlaib also responded on Twitter calling Trump a "WEAK bully."