The Friends of Sherrod Brown campaign launched “Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) for Sherrod" coalition.
Brown is running for re-election for his U.S. Senate seat against Republican challenger Bernie Moreno, a hard-line immigration reform Republican. Moreno, an immigrant from Colombia, supports former President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan. Axios reported in early August, if elected, Moreno said immigrants will only be allowed to take the U.S. citizenship test in English. He also wants to block immigrants from government benefits for their first 10 years in the U.S., and told supporters during a campaign stop what he expects of people entering the country: "They learn the language, like I did. They assimilate, like I did. They understand the culture, like I did," Axios reports.
In an exclusive sit-down with CityBeat, Brown said Moreno's talking points are simply scare tactics.
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024.
Brown is running for re-election for his U.S. Senate seat against Republican challenger Bernie Moreno, a hard-line immigration reform Republican. Moreno, an immigrant from Colombia, supports former President Donald Trump's mass deportation plan. Axios reported in early August, if elected, Moreno said immigrants will only be allowed to take the U.S. citizenship test in English. He also wants to block immigrants from government benefits for their first 10 years in the U.S., and told supporters during a campaign stop what he expects of people entering the country: "They learn the language, like I did. They assimilate, like I did. They understand the culture, like I did," Axios reports.
In an exclusive sit-down with CityBeat, Brown said Moreno's talking points are simply scare tactics.
"So often things he says are already the law or he makes it up," Brown said. "He accuses [his opponents] of saying that we want people that are here undocumented to get Social Security. The fact is that, people, if you're working here without documentation, you're working into Social Security, you're certainly not getting it. You're not allowed to vote. They engage in scare tactics, always.”
Brown added that Moreno, who is anti-abortion, is out of step with Ohio's voters, including those in the AAPI community.
Brown added that Moreno, who is anti-abortion, is out of step with Ohio's voters, including those in the AAPI community.
“I think on issues of reproductive rights, Ohioans, including most people in the Asian, Asia Pacific community, voted overwhelmingly for reproductive rights," he said. "And Bernie Moreno still says that he wants a national abortion ban, no exception. So it's not just out of step, it's also contrary to what voters in the state wanted.”
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval joined CityBeat's discussion with Brown, calling Moreno's immigration rhetoric "xenophobic" and a threat to business growth in the state.
Cincinnati Mayor Aftab Pureval joined CityBeat's discussion with Brown, calling Moreno's immigration rhetoric "xenophobic" and a threat to business growth in the state.
“It's obviously having a tremendously negative impact on our local AANHPI community, but it's also having a broader negative impact on our ability to grow as a community and to compete on the world stage for the best and the brightest talent to come," Pureval told CityBeat. "You know, Procter and Gamble, Kroger, GE Aviation, Cincinnati Children's — number one in the country — are all in a fight for the best and the brightest talent, not just here in our region or our country, but across the world. [...] with this xenophobic and oftentimes racist rhetoric coming from from Senator Brown's opponent, it only makes it more difficult for mayors like myself to recruit not just businesses to come here and to grow and to invest in our community, but also to bring the talent.”
Bernie Moreno's campaign did not respond to CityBeat's request for comment for this story. In an emailed release, Brown's campaign emphasized his Senate victories for the AAPI community, including:
Bernie Moreno's campaign did not respond to CityBeat's request for comment for this story. In an emailed release, Brown's campaign emphasized his Senate victories for the AAPI community, including:
- Introducing a resolution to condemn all forms of anti-Asian sentiment, racism, and discrimination.
- Calling on federal officials to address the rise in hate crimes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Establishing the Congressional Taiwan Caucus, advocating for Taiwan’s observer status in the World Health Assembly.
- Working with Bhutanese American community members to introduce a resolution recognizing the Kingdom of Bhutan as responsible for the forced eviction of over 100,000 Bhutanese citizens in the late 1980s and 1990s.
- Brown's membership in the U.S. Senate India Caucus, aiming to strengthen U.S.-India ties through "mutual trust and respect, while promoting security for all."
