At a conference in Mexico over the weekend, Illinois Democrat Rep. Delia Ramirez said that she has more pride in being Guatemalan than being American.
A clip of her remarks was shared on X and quickly circulated.
"I'm a proud Guatemalan before I'm an American,” she said in Spanish.
U.S. Representative Delia Ramirez (D-IL) (speaking in Spanish at a conference in Mexico): “I’m a Guatemalan with much pride before I’m an American”
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) August 4, 2025
Are you comfortable with this? pic.twitter.com/1MqAtHNjtc
Ramirez’s comments sparked backlash, predictably. She then issued a statement claiming that the “attacks” on her remarks were “a weak attempt to silence my dissent and invalidate my patriotic criticism of the nativist, white supremacist, authoritarians in government.”
“Honoring my Guatemalan ancestry only strengthens my commitment to America,” she continued. “I am both Chapina and American. I am both from Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois.”
Congresswoman Delia Ramirez has responded after saying she is more loyal to Guatemala than she is to America: “I am the daughter of immigrants and the daughter of America. I am from both Guatemala and Chicago, Illinois.”
— TheBlaze (@theblaze) August 5, 2025
DEPORT! https://t.co/nnzXVcuxCd pic.twitter.com/pZholmpbOz
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Catalina Lauf, who previously ran for Congress in Illinois as a Republican, responded to Ramirez’s remarks.
“I’m the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant. This is disgraceful,” she wrote. “You don’t get elected to Congress to play diplomat for your motherland.”
“You swear an oath to the U.S. Constitution. Your loyalty belongs to the American people,” she added. “You don’t deserve that seat. Try running in Guatemala—see how far you get.”
I’m the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant. This is disgraceful.
— Catalina Lauf (@CatalinaLauf) August 5, 2025
You don’t get elected to Congress to play diplomat for your motherland.
You swear an oath to the U.S. Constitution. Your loyalty belongs to the American people.
You don’t deserve that seat. Try running in… https://t.co/7pROz03qBh
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