FACT CHECK: Did Michele Bachmann Suggest Banning Mexican Food To Stop Illegal Immigration?
A meme shared on Facebook claimed that former Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann said, “If we made Mexican food illegal, illegal aliens wouldn’t be able to eat in the United States and all illegal border crossings would stop.” The image cites an Aug. 4, 2014 appearance on Fox News.
“I blame Taco Bell,” the caption reads.
Verdict: False
The Daily Caller found no evidence of Bachmann saying this in August 2014 or at any other time.
Fact Check:
During her time in office, Bachmann, the former presidential candidate and Tea Party favorite, was often the subject of ridicule on the left. This image attempts to discredit her by claiming that she once proposed a ban on Mexican food to prevent illegal immigrants from crossing the southern border.
The Caller did not find evidence of Bachmann making this statement on the date included in the image or on any other day. A representative from Fox News told us that Bachmann did not appear on the network that day.
Bachmann does oppose illegal immigration and supports building a border wall.
In a 2017 interview with Breitbart, she signaled her support for a stay on immigration. “We need to hit the pause button like Calvin Coolidge did for 50 years. Hit the pause button and give people time to assimilate; learn the English language; learn our laws and just settle down and assimilate,” Bachmann said.
She also condemned President Barack Obama’s executive actions on immigration. “The social cost will be profound on the U.S. taxpayer – millions of unskilled, illiterate, foreign nationals coming into the United States who can’t speak the English language,” Bachmann said in 2014.
