In the days that followed the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, resulting in the deaths of several immigrant workers, some liberal activists are demanding that more migrants be given a chance at life in the United States.
On March 26, the famous bridge in Maryland’s capital city collapsed after being struck by a cargo ship. Several construction workers were filling pot holes on the bridge when it fell, sending them into the freezing river below. Although two were rescued by authorities, six others were later declared dead. All the workers were immigrants from Latin America.
Instead of mourning the tragic loss of the workers—three of whom left behind wives and children—liberal activists advocating for a so-called “open border” have used their deaths to demand a larger number of immigrants come into America. Multiple non profit organizations for migrants posted reactions to the tragedy with an overarching theme that the United States should bring in more immigrants.
On the day of the accident, David Bier of the Cato Institute wrote on X that American natives were not the ones to die in the incident “because immigrant workers went to fill potholes.” He added that he “can’t wait” to have more migrants come “to rebuild this bridge bigger and better than ever.”
American workers got to sleep in their beds and not get hit by a cargo ship because immigrant workers went to work to fill potholes so that they could commute to work going to jobs with better pay and working conditions.
— David J. Bier (@David_J_Bier) March 26, 2024
Global Refuge and United We Dream, both of which support mass migration through non-profit programs, shared similar sentiments. Global Refuge’s CEO, Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, reacted to the tragedy by saying that “we can and we will rebuild” the iconic bridge. He added that, to do so, the “contributions of our immigrant brothers and sisters will continue to be essential.”
In response, the Center for Immigration Studies executive director, Mark Krikorian, described the apparent efforts to promote mass migration policies in the aftermath of six tragic deaths “kind of creepy.” He also pointed out that “most of the people” who work construction jobs like the victims of the bridge collapse “are Americans.”
On the other hand, some conservatives are insisting that the crash was not an accident, even pointing to the Biden administration’s controversial “open border” policies as a component to the tragedy. This mindset has been equally criticized by the Left, such as MSNBC host Joy Reid, who called efforts to paint illegal immigration in a bad light in response to the tragedy “grotesque.”
Despite various theories being presented, law enforcement has not indicated that there is any evidence to suggest foul play and has been calling the bridge’s collapse a tragic accident.