Kimberly Guilfoyle, a prominent figure in the Republican party and Donald Trump Jr.’s girlfriend, sparked considerable debate during her Republican National Convention (RNC) speech. Identifying herself as a “Latina and proud American,” Guilfoyle’s remarks about her background, specifically referencing her mother Mercedes Guilfoyle, ignited a social media backlash and raised questions about the understanding of Puerto Rican citizenship within American political discourse.
Guilfoyle stated, “As a first-generation American, I know how dangerous their socialist agenda is,” referring to the Democratic candidates. She continued by saying, “My mother, Mercedes, was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father, also an immigrant, came to this nation in pursuit of the American dream. Now, I consider it my duty to fight to protect that dream.” It was this characterization of her mother, Mercedes Guilfoyle, and herself as a “first-generation American” that drew immediate criticism.
The core of the controversy lies in the fact that Puerto Ricans are, by law, U.S. citizens. Since 1917, and further solidified by the National Act of the 1940s, individuals born in Puerto Rico are granted birthright U.S. citizenship. This crucial detail was quickly highlighted on social media, with many pointing out the inaccuracy of Guilfoyle’s “immigrant” narrative in relation to her mother, Mercedes Guilfoyle, and by extension, herself. Andrea González-Ramírez, for instance, tweeted, “Proud Latina’ Kimberly Guilfoyle should know that Puerto Ricans like her mother Mercedes have been U.S. citizens since 1917. Therefore, she was not an ‘immigrant.'”
Experts in Puerto Rican politics and citizenship further clarified the situation. Charles Venator-Santiago, a political science professor at the University of Connecticut and coordinator of the Puerto Rico Citizenship Archives Project, stated, “After 1940, Congress declared that anyone born in Puerto Rico is born in the United States, so for her to claim that she is the daughter of immigrants is really tricky.” He emphasizes the legal standing of Puerto Ricans as U.S. citizens by birth, directly contradicting the implication in Guilfoyle’s speech regarding Mercedes Guilfoyle’s status.
Carlos Vargas-Ramos, director of public policy at the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College, echoed this sentiment. He explained that while Puerto Ricans moving to the mainland United States experience a significant cultural transition, it is considered internal migration, not immigration in the legal sense. “Crossing that cultural border makes their experience similar to that of an immigrant,” Vargas-Ramos acknowledged, “but it doesn’t make Puerto Ricans immigrants.” This distinction is vital in understanding the nuances of the debate surrounding Mercedes Guilfoyle’s background and Kimberly Guilfoyle’s statements.
The complexities of Puerto Rico’s territorial status further complicate the issue. Venator-Santiago pointed out that “Puerto Rico is part of the United States for international purposes but foreign for domestic or constitutional purposes,” citing the Insular Cases from the early 1900s. This unique status means that while Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they face limitations such as not voting in presidential elections and lacking full representation in Congress.
Despite the legal and political intricacies, Vargas-Ramos suggests that focusing solely on the terminology might miss Guilfoyle’s intended message. He posits that Guilfoyle aimed to present her family as having a background similar to Latin American immigrants, perhaps to counter accusations of xenophobia leveled against the Trump administration. “What she was trying to say is that her family is a family of Latin American immigrants, when, in fact, her boyfriend’s father has targeted Latin American immigrants, specifically Mexicans, as the worst kind of immigrant in this country,” Vargas-Ramos elaborated.
In conclusion, Kimberly Guilfoyle’s RNC speech, particularly her references to her mother Mercedes Guilfoyle and her “first-generation American” identity, ignited controversy due to the misrepresentation of Puerto Rican citizenship. While the cultural experience of Puerto Ricans moving to the mainland can share similarities with that of immigrants, legally, they are U.S. citizens by birth, a fact underscored by experts and widely circulated in the ensuing social media discourse. The incident highlights the ongoing need for clarity and accuracy in political rhetoric, especially when discussing issues of identity and citizenship.
