Democratic State Rep. Kaohly Vang Her of Minnesota sparked controversy during a floor debate when she declared herself and her parents "illegal" in the United States, only to later clarify that she is actually a U.S. citizen. Her comments came during a heated discussion over legislation that would declare undocumented immigrants ineligible for MinnesotaCare, the state's Medicaid program.
According to The Daily Caller, Her made the startling claim on the floor of the Minnesota House of Representatives on Monday as Democrats nearly unanimously voted against the bill. "I am illegal in this country. My parents are illegal here in this country," She stated during the debate.
The legislation passed despite Democratic opposition and will prevent undocumented immigrants from accessing MinnesotaCare benefits. The statement from Her, who represents a district in Minnesota, immediately raised questions about her immigration status and eligibility to hold elected office.
Following her floor speech, Her quickly sought to clarify her comments in an interview with the Minnesota Reformer, explaining that both she and her parents are American citizens. The legislator appeared to walk back her previous statement that explicitly claimed illegal status.
In the interview, Her provided context about her family's immigration journey, revealing that her father had claimed a false family relationship to expedite their entry into the United States. "Technically, you would say my father broke the law, right? But we would have come anyway," Her told the Minnesota Reformer.
Her explained that her father claimed to be related to a family friend who worked for the United States Agency for International Development. This claim was made to hasten the family's entry into the United States in order to avoid potential reprisals from communist forces, presumably in Laos, though the specific country of origin was not explicitly mentioned in the article.
Her defended her comments as an attempt to humanize the immigration debate and encourage empathy from her Republican colleagues. She suggested that sharing her personal story might help lawmakers see beyond political divisions on immigration policy.
"The truth is until people see a face with somebody and a situation, it is really easy for us to other each other, and, as somebody who's been marginalized because of who I am my whole life, I never want to do that to somebody else," Her explained to the Minnesota Reformer when discussing her intentions.
The representative's comments come at a time when immigration remains a deeply divisive issue in American politics. Her statement on the House floor appeared designed to create an emotional connection to the real-world impacts of legislation targeting undocumented immigrants' access to healthcare services.
The Minnesota debate mirrors similar discussions happening at the federal level, where Medicaid eligibility for undocumented immigrants has become a contentious issue. The Daily Caller noted that a reconciliation bill currently moving through Congress includes reforms to Medicaid.
These federal reforms reportedly include efforts to end the use of Medicaid by undocumented immigrants. Medicaid provides health coverage for low-income people throughout the United States, and determining eligibility requirements has become a partisan flashpoint.
The timing of Her's comments and subsequent clarification comes as states and the federal government continue to wrestle with questions about public benefits for undocumented residents. The debate in Minnesota reflects broader national tensions over immigration policy and social services.
Democratic State Rep. Kaohly Vang Her's statement on the Minnesota House floor that she and her parents are "illegal" in the country, followed by her quick clarification that they are actually U.S. citizens, has created significant confusion about her family's immigration story.
Her later explanation revealed that while her family may have entered the country through means that included misrepresentation of family relationships, they are now legal U.S. citizens. The controversy centers on Her's initial characterization of herself as "illegal" during an official legislative debate on Monday.
The incident occurred as Minnesota lawmakers voted on legislation that would restrict undocumented immigrants' access to the state's Medicaid program, a measure that ultimately passed despite opposition from Her and nearly all of her Democratic colleagues in the state legislature.
