Fact Check: Did Chuck Schumer say 'our goal is to give citizenship to immigrants'?
WASHINGTON, DC: Ahead of the November midterm election, which the Democrats are projected to win, an allegation is circulating on social media platforms claiming that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said their goal is to give US citizenship to immigrants. The claim has triggered criticism and speculation, prompting a fact-check.
Claim: Chuck Schumer said, 'Our goal is to give citizenship to immigrants'
With the midterm elections less than a month away, rumors began circulating online claiming that Schumer said that "our ultimate goal" is to give citizenship to millions of migrants who have already crossed a border into the United States.
A viral post on X stated, “Sen. Chuck Schumer: 'Our ultimate goal' is to give every illegal alien citizenship."
Another post on Facebook stated, “BREAKING: Sen. Chuck Schumer: 'Our ultimate goal' is to give every illegal alien citizenship. We knew this was their strategy and why they wanted open borders! Remember this when you vote!"
The claim has also spread on other social media platforms, garnering hundreds of thousands of views. Many slammed the Democrats, while others dismissed the claim as false and called for a fact check of the viral rumor.
Fact Check: Chuck Schumer made the statement in 2022
The claim is true, as Schumer indeed said, 'Our goal is to give citizenship to immigrants.'
However, the statement is not recent and was made in November 2022 as part of an effort to urge the Senate to pass protections for "Dreamers" during a session of Congress.
Dreamers refer to 'Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals,' a federal immigration policy allowing some immigrants who came to the country as children to receive temporary protection from deportation and eligibility for a renewable work permit.
Schumer said, “Now more than ever, we're short of workers. We have a population that is not reproducing on its own at the same level that it used to."
"The only way we're going to have a great future in America is if we welcome and embrace immigrants, the 'Dreamers' and all of them, because our ultimate goal is to help the 'Dreamers' but get a path to citizenship for all 11 million, or however many, undocumented there are here.”
Chuck Schumer seeks another term as Senate leader
The claim resurfaced after Schumer announced that he will seek another term as Senate Democratic leader after the midterms despite opposition from two Democratic nominees.
Revealing his plans to Politico, Schumer said, “I am running for reelection for leader. Period.”
