Ryan Melton, the Democrat running in Iowa’s fourth congressional district, says Republicans like his opponent, Congressman Randy Feenstra of Hull, it’s “ridiculous” to identify immigration as the top concern of voters.
“The amount of scapegoating and vilification of our immigrant friends here in Iowa is absolutely immoral and shameful,” Melton said this weekend.
Melton told reporters there is no “invasion” and immigrants are “giving new life” to places like Hawarden, Storm Lake, Marshalltown, Denison and Carroll.
“There are parents that are willing to walk thousands of miles out of war torn countries and drug riddled countries in order to give their kids a better life and then people like Randy Feenstra try to create false narrative about them,” Melton said. “We should want people who are willing to put their lives on the line to give their kids a better life.”
Melton spoke at The Des Moines Register’s Political Soapbox at the Iowa State Fair on Sunday. He said the “hollowing out” of rural Iowa is the issue that comes up over and over as he speaks with voters in the 36 counties that make up the fourth congressional district. He cited low paying jobs, attacks on public education and a lack of access to health care and child care as the root causes.
“These stressors stacking on top of each other, one after another for a young person deciding whether to stay here or whether to leave and eventually the list gets burdensome enough that the list makes the decision for them,” Melton said. “If you can’t find child care in your state, you can’t build your family here.”
Feenstra declined the Register’s invitation to speak at the same spot on the fairgrounds.