Washington DC: US Vice President JD Vance has sparked a political controversy after describing mass migration as the “theft of the American Dream”, leading critics to accuse him of hypocrisy and xenophobia. The backlash intensified after several critics pointed to the background of his wife, Usha Vance, who is the daughter of Indian immigrants, with some social media users making inflammatory calls to “send her back” to India.
Vance made the remarks in a post on X, arguing that large-scale migration deprives American workers of opportunities and alleging that studies challenging this view were funded by “the people getting rich off of the old system”.
Have a look at it here:
The Vice President’s comments drew reactions from political commentators and activists. Author and commentator Wajahat Ali responded by writing, “That means you have to send Usha, her Indian family, and your biracial kids back to India,” underscoring what critics described as a contradiction in Vance’s rhetoric.
The row has also revived scrutiny of Vance’s broader views on immigration and social cohesion. He has repeatedly blamed the Biden administration for what he describes as an immigration system that “promoted division” and has said that a future Trump administration would try to remove “as many” undocumented migrants as possible.
Have a look at Ali's post here:
America's widening immigration crackdown
The latest controversy comes amid lingering criticism over Vance’s past remarks about cultural and religious preferences. In a recent podcast interview with the New York Post, he said it was “totally reasonable and acceptable” for people to prefer neighbours who share their race, language or skin colour, comments that drew condemnation from civil rights groups.
Attention has also returned to comments Vance made last month about his wife’s Hindu faith. Speaking at a Turning Point USA event, he said he believed Usha might one day share his Christian faith. After criticism, he later clarified that she had “no plans to convert” and that he respected her beliefs.
The backlash unfolded against the backdrop of a tougher immigration stance by the Trump administration. On December 3, US Citizenship and Immigration Services announced the suspension of immigration applications from 19 “high-risk” countries, citing security concerns following the fatal shooting of a National Guard member by an Afghan asylum seeker in Washington DC.
