The biggest issue that has dominated the candidacy and election of Donald Trump has been over immigration. While Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny stood just a few feet from Trump at the White House to celebrate St, Patrick's Day, the president was hit with a message of mockery over his immigration policies.
Trump trolled
When Donald Trump first announced his campaign for president in June 2015, he stood at the podium in Trump Tower and raised eyebrows when he referred to illegal immigrants from Mexico as "rapists" and "murderers." Since then, the former host of "The Apprentice" has been steadfast in defending his policies, which include increased deportation and the completion of construction of a border wall between the United States and Mexico.
In addition, Trump has attempted, and failed on two occasions, to enact a travel ban against several Muslim-majority nations. These proposals where pushed back during Enda Kenny' visit to the White House on March 17.
"We were the wretched refuse on the teeming shore," Irish prime minister says with Donald Trump in the room. pic.twitter.com/7jEfTVvIzE
— Barry Malone (@malonebarry) March 17, 2017
In celebration of St Patrick's Day, Enda Kenny, the Prime Minister of Ireland, joining Donald Trump at the White House in Washington, D.C. on Friday. However, during Kenny's speech, the prime minister delivered words that were in direct conflict with what Trump has proposed in the past.
The Irish prime minister used his St. Patrick's Day visit to lecture President Trump on the virtues of immigration https://t.co/sCFWCOwAGP pic.twitter.com/YzQNXS4c7n
— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 17, 2017
"It's fitting that we gather here each year to celebrate St.
Patrick and his legacy," Enda Kenny said, while pointing out that "He, too, was an immigrant." Kenny continued, noting that while St. Patrick is the "patron saint of Ireland," that "many people around the globe, he is also the symbol of, indeed, the patron of...immigrants."
Immigration praise
Enda Kenny then went on to speak about the "compassion" of the United States, with yet another reference to immigration.
"We believed in the shelter of America, in the compassion of America, in the opportunity of America," he said, while adding, "we came, and became Americans." As he closed, Kenny went on to quote former President John F. Kennedy, stating, "We asked not what American could do for us, but what we could do for America."
Twitter reaction
In response to the Enda Kenny's speech, social media users were quick to react. The most notable coming from filmmaker Michael Moore, who posted the video of the speech on his Facebook page, which quickly went viral.
