Indian-origin Congressman Shri Thanedar fired back at US vice president JD Vance after the MAGA leader claimed that mass migration results in the “theft of the American Dream.” Thanedar shared a family photograph of Vance’s wife, Usha’s family, celebrating Thanksgiving in 2024. He captioned the image and said: “By your own logic, your wife’s entire family is ‘stealing the American dream.’” The image shows around 20 people of colour, along with Vance and has stirred a lot of controversy among the conservative MAGA base. The row originates from Vance’s repeated criticism of immigration. On social media, he said: “Mass migration is theft of the American Dream,” adding that studies suggesting otherwise are funded by “the people getting rich off of the old system.” Vance made similar comments during a New York Post podcast, saying it is totally normal for people to live among neighbours who share the same culture. He added that they are not obligated to speak a different language and must share a common culture. Recently, he doubled down, asserting that the only common language in America is English.Vance and his supporters blame the Biden administration for an immigration system that “promoted division” in the United States. He has also said that migrants are “undercutting the wages of American workers” and defended Donald Trump’s H-1B visa reforms as a way to protect American jobs by associating more foreign skilled workers in US industries.Furthermore, Vance’s personal life is also involved. His wife, Usha, was born into a Hindu-Indian family, which is not quite liked by the conservative base. Last month, Vance said he hoped she might eventually convert to Christianity, telling supporters she attends church with him and he wishes she might one day share his faith. Vance later clarified that she “has no plans to convert.”
