The White House on Thursday fiercely defended President Trump’s use of the word “animals” to describe illegal immigrants in the MS-13 gang.
White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the word “animals” didn’t go far enough in describing the brutal street gang known for hacking people to death with machetes.
“It took an animal to stab a man 100 times and rip his heart out,” she said, referring to a reported MS-13 attack. “I think the term animal doesn’t go far enough.”
Mr. Trump came under fire from immigrant-right groups for making the comment Wednesday in a meeting with local officials who have challenged California’s sanctuary-state law.
Mr. Trump did not specify MS-13 in his remark, but he was responding to a sheriff’s complaint that under the California law her office can’t contact immigration officials about known MS-13 members.
“The president was very clearly referring to MS-13 gang members who enter our country illegally,” said Mrs. Sanders.
She added, “If liberals and the media want to defend MS-13 they are welcome to.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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