Chris Cuomo, host of CUOMO on NewsNation, recently took aim at Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, arguing that her approach to immigration might just be one of the reasons why Democrats struggled in the November election.
Cuomo pointed out how President Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris was largely due to his heavy focus on the immigration crisis, something many believe was mishandled under President Joe Biden’s administration. Cuomo believes AOC’s actions — particularly her recent comments on X regarding Trump’s standoff with Colombia over deportation flights — show just how disconnected she is from the concerns of the American public.
Here’s the thing: Trump threatened Colombia with tariffs when they refused to take back deported migrants. But instead of addressing the real issue, AOC jumped on the political bandwagon, trying to link these tariffs to higher coffee prices and inflation. Cuomo had a lot to say about this: “AOC’s trying a little too hard to make political points, and it’s just not landing.”
While her remarks were criticized by many, including the president of Colombia, Cuomo pointed out that this kind of rhetoric is exactly what turned voters away from the Democrats. Instead of focusing on real, impactful changes, Democrats, and AOC specifically, are still too caught up in attacking Trump.
Cuomo didn’t hold back in his criticism: “Democrats, stop the hate and focus on real solutions. Hate is what the MAGA crowd thrives on. Push for policies that actually make a difference.”
While acknowledging AOC’s passion, Cuomo argued that her actions haven’t led to any real benefits for her party. Sure, she’s built a huge online following, but it hasn’t translated into meaningful achievements for the country or her political team. And that, in Cuomo’s view, is part of the reason Democrats struggled to hold onto support in the last election.
AOC’s opposition to key immigration measures is another point Cuomo highlighted. For instance, she was one of the few Democrats who opposed emergency funding for migrant children in 2019, despite it including billions in aid for those in need. Her reasons? It included funding for ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) and CBP (Customs and Border Protection), agencies she has long pushed to defund.
Cuomo went on to list other instances where AOC’s stance on immigration has not aligned with the needs of the American people. For example, she opposed the bipartisan border deal and was against President Biden’s asylum executive order, even though it ultimately helped reduce border crossings to record lows during Biden’s time in office.
Cuomo emphasized that while AOC may genuinely believe in her positions, her stance on immigration doesn’t resonate with the American public — and that’s hurting her party. Immigration has become a major issue for swing voters, including Latinos and independents, many of whom have grown increasingly frustrated with how Democrats have handled the crisis.
In the end, Cuomo’s message is clear: Democrats need to refocus their energy on the issues that matter to voters, not just on criticizing Trump.
