Assembly Speaker Robin Vos blamed the outbreak of COVID-19 cases in his district on immigrant culture, according to a legally recorded call with Gov. Tony Evers and Senate Majority Leader Scott Fitzgerald last month.
“I know the reason, at least in my region, is because of a large immigrant population, where it’s just a difference in culture where people are living much closer and working much closer,” the Republican representative said of the outbreak in Racine County.
In a press conference Thursday, President of Forward Latino Darryl Morin, demanded that Vos apologize for his comments.
“On behalf of Forward Latino today we are demanding that Speaker Vos apologize for his comments,” said Morin. “We also ask that he work with the governor to ensure that employees are provided with the needed protection for those who are working in their workplaces.”
Morin also said immigrants are too often blamed for the spread of the Coronavirus.
“The overwhelming majority of cases have nothing to do with Latinos or Hispanics,” said Morin. “And while we all realize that many immigrants are working in meat packing plants so that when we go shopping, we have the food, protein and vegetables that we need. We also know that they’re caring for the elderly in the state and working in health care.”
Morin referenced a recent Dept. of Homeland Security ruling extending work visas for immigrants because the Dept. understood the importance of immigrant workers to the food-supply industry in the United States.
Other organizations representing minorities in Racine were angered by Vos’s comment.
“This implication that immigrants are at fault is wrong, period,” said Racine Interfaith Coalition Co-President Tamerin Hayward. “Immigrants are the lifeblood of our communities. Many essential workers are putting their lives, as well as their family’s lives at risk every day. Our leaders cannot be relying on words that sets blame at the feet of one group.”
A Vos spokeswoman responded to the backlash in an email writing, “Listen to what was said and not the sensationalist headline. Facts show communities of color are disproportionally impacted. That’s science.”
The call was recorded and released by Gov. Evers’ staff. Evers’ claims he was not aware it was being recorded at the time. Under Wisconsin open records law and because Wisconsin is a one-party consent state as far as audio and video recording in the public goes, the recording of the call and distribution of the recording are perfectly legal, despite Vos’ and Fitzgerald being upset.