In a February 28, 2025, interview with NPR’s Steve Inskeep, AOC criticized the Republican Party, characterized Democrats as navigating the stages of grief following President Trump’s election, and defended her contentious “know-your-rights” forum, where she offered legally questionable guidance to undocumented immigrants.
During the NPR interview, Inskeep inquired about AOC’s perspective on the current condition of the Democratic Party, specifically asking if she felt the left was “on the defensive.” AOC provided a somewhat vague response, stating, “I think we’ve moved through shock. I think we’ve moved through dismay. I think we’ve moved through the five stages of grief.”
She further asserted that the Republican Party is currently committing “certain large errors,” criticizing President Trump’s policies by stating, “They also directly appeal to very specific pockets of people who tend to be working class, and that creates a permission structure, right? You toss a crumb to us, and you give the farm to the big fish.”
In an effort to steer AOC back to the topic, Inskeep questioned her about the reasoning behind her recent immigration-focused online forum, which had sparked a debate between her and Tom Homan. AOC defended her actions by asserting, “I was informing all of my constituents of their constitutional protections and, in particular, their constitutional protections against illegal search and seizure in the United States.”
This X post sparked extensive debate regarding the questionable remarks made by AOC. One user, known as Yeticus Maximus, remarked, “Are all her constituents illegal? This raises concerns about voter fraud and voter ID problems. That seems typical for NYC.” Another commenter succinctly asked, “Why does she believe that illegal immigrants are her constituents?”
