Auschwitz Museum Enters Feud Between Ocasio-Cortez and Lindsey Graham Over Migrant Caravan

Cortney O'Brien | November 27, 2018 12:04 PM

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio Cortez to visit D.C.'s Holocaust Memorial Museum on Monday. That way, he said, she could understand what real fear and suffering is for an oppressed people. He made the request after Ocasio-Cortez tried to compare the migrant caravan to the Holocaust.

First, the initial tweet. Then, Graham's response.

Asking to be considered a refugee & applying for status isn’t a crime.

It wasn’t for Jewish families fleeing Germany.
It wasn’t for targeted families fleeing Rwanda.
It wasn’t for communities fleeing war-torn Syria.
And it isn’t for those fleeing violence in Central America. https://t.co/qhv7Rr1itn
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 25, 2018

I recommend she take a tour of the Holocaust Museum in DC.

Might help her better understand the differences between the Holocaust and the caravan in Tijuana. https://t.co/05vCexiClE
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 26, 2018

Graham followed up his retort with a string of suggestions as to how Republicans and Democrats can work together toward their shared goal in fixing the immigration system by first securing the border.

Ocasio-Cortez also sparred with Salem radio host Sebastian Gorka about the comparison. She tried to have the last word Monday night and retweeted the Auschwitz Memorial Twitter account, which appeared to take her side in the debate.

.@LindseyGrahamSC, the point of such a treasured museum is to bring its lessons to present day.

This administration has jailed children and violated human rights. Perhaps we should stop pretending that authoritarianism + violence is a historical event instead of a growing force. https://t.co/aGJMrPTqNT
— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@Ocasio2018) November 27, 2018

When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process. It's important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanisation & escalating violence.
— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) November 26, 2018

Ocasio-Cortez suggested that instead of sending more troops to the border to deal with the influx of migrants from Central America, perhaps they send caseworkers down there instead. Not only would it be more "moral," she reasoned, but it would be more fiscally responsible as well.