ABC News(WASHINGTON) — Dr. Ben Carson, President Trump’s secretary of Housing and Urban Development, sparked controversy Monday when he told agency workers that “other immigrants” who came to the United States in slave ships dreamed future generations would have “prosperity and happiness in this land.”
Carson’s statement came as he described immigrants’ hopes for a better life and their willingness to take on long hours to give their children better opportunities. “That’s what America is about,” said Carson.
“There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they too had a dream that one day their sons, daughter, grandsons, granddaughters, great grandsons, great granddaughters might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land,” he added.
“And do you know of all the nations in the world, this one, the United States of America, is the only one big enough and great enough to allow all those people to realize their dream,” said Carson. “This is our opportunity to enhance that dream.”
The statement sparked an outcry.
The Anne Frank Center for Mutual Respect blasted Carson’s statement, calling his words “tragic, shocking, and unacceptable.”
WE CONDEMN REMARKS of #BenCarson today that slaves are “immigrants.” @WhiteHouse we say #BlackLivesMatter and so should you. pic.twitter.com/VuclzYh5Rn
— AnneFrankCenter(US) (@AnneFrankCenter) March 6, 2017
The NAACP tweeted “Immigrants???”
Immigrants??? https://t.co/f0RH7iXBrn
— NAACP (@NAACP) March 6, 2017
“This can’t be real,” said Chelsea Clinton in a tweet. “Slaves were not & are not immigrants. 2017.”
This can’t be real. Slaves were not & are not immigrants. 2017. https://t.co/8CuUvnR2Mf
— Chelsea Clinton (@ChelseaClinton) March 6, 2017
But a spokesperson for HUD said Carson’s speech was well received by employees. “Nobody in that room believed for a moment that the secretary was confusing voluntary immigration with involuntary servitude. Please,” said a HUD spokesperson.
In his speech, Carson, who was sworn in to HUD last Thursday, described his experience as a neurosurgeon and emphasized helping “the downtrodden and the people in our society to climb that ladder.”
“To me, that’s really what it’s all about. It’s about the American dream. The ability to move up that ladder. The ability to make a difference in the lives of our fellow Americans. Recognizing how much innate potential there is in them.”
Carson said his first priority as new HUD secretary is to go on a nationwide listening tour to hear concerns from the American people.
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