In a radio interview last week, U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO) said Democrats would love to exploit imagery of mass deportations of young immigrants.
Asked by KHOW’s Ross Kaminsky how he thought Democrats would feel about Trump’s decision to end Obama’s DACA order, which allowed immigrants who came here as children to remain in the U.S., Coffman said:
Coffman (here at 28 min 30 seconds): “I think they would love a visual of mass deportation of these young people. The young people who are essentially a combination of working and going to school. I mean that’s the visual they want to take them into 2018 midterm… They want to appear to be on the side of these DACA children but, if given the opportunity, they’d just as soon [laughs] let Republicans have their fingerprints on the failure to pass this.”
Coffman did not specify which Democrats told him they’d like to use imagery of deportations, ordered by Republicans, in the political campaigns. Nor did Coffman say he was speculating. Coffman’s office does not return my calls.
And I couldn’t find Democrats who want to have a “visual of mass deportation” on the shelf for future political use.
Coffman has said he supports Trump’s decision to dismantle protections for DACA immigrants, but he also backs legislation to put DACA protections into law.
Coffman’s comment about the Democrats’ views on DACA reflects the thinking of some politicians and political operatives who become so focused on the “optics,” “visuals,” and political strategery of campaigns that they forget about the actual people involved.
In November, Coffman will have served 28 years in elected office, a point his opponents often highlight. His career in politics started in the state legislature in 1989. He was also Colorado’s State Treasurer and Secretary of State, prior to his election to Congress.
