Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) says undocumented immigrants are to blame for the Arizona wildfires.
McCain’s comments, which he made following his tour of the Wallow fire site in Arizona on Saturday, have gained national attention after the U.S. Forest Service disputed the senator’s claims saying that there was no evidence that undocumented immigrants caused the fire and instead that it was due to an escaped campfire.
Although McCain did not provide any evidence he did state that,“They have set fires because they signal others, they have set fires to keep warm, and they have set fires in order to divert law enforcement agents and agencies from them.“ He also claimed that the solution to this “part of the problem” would be “to get a secure border.”
On Monday, McCain’s communication director released a statement clarifying that the senator was making a general comment about fires in southern Arizona and was not specifically addressing the Wallow Fire.
Latino groups criticized McCain for his hasty and careless comments.
“It’s easier to fan the flames of intolerance, especially in Arizona,” said Randy Parraz, whose organization Citizens for a Better Arizona is trying to recall the state senator who sponsored Arizona’s controversial anti-illegal immigration law.
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