'Immigrant Culture' To Blame For COVID-19 Outbreak, Vos Said

RACINE COUNTY, WI — State Rep. Robin Vos said a "large immigrant population" and "immigrant culture" was to blame for a coronavirus outbreak in Racine County in a secret recording made between him and Gov. Tony Evers. Civil rights groups have criticized the Assembly Speaker, who has now been fielding calls for his resignation.

Vos later said he was referring to a recent outbreak affecting a Hispanic and Latino population in Burlington in western Racine County.

The call took place on May 14 between Vos Senate Majority leader Scott Fitzgerald, Gov. Tony Evers and state health officials as they began hashing out COVID-19 response plan after the State Supreme Court supported a GOP-backed campaign to strike down the governor's "Safer At Home" public order.

In the call, which was later released by the governor's office and published in a JSOnline report this week, Vos goes back-and-forth with the governor and state health officials about what type of COVID-19 response would be needed after the state's "Safer At Home" order was struck down by the State Supreme Court.

“I know the reason at least in my region [for a recent COVID-19 outbreak] is because of a large immigrant population where, you know, it’s just a difference in culture where people are living much closer and working much closer,” Vos is heard saying on the call. "Certainly you want to coordinate that amongst where people live and work."

The Wisconsin ACLU blasted Vos for his comments, calling for an immediate apology.

“Speaker Vos should apologize or explain his claim that the outbreak of COVID-19 in Racine is a product of ‘immigrant culture.’ It’s a product of immigrants being more likely to have jobs as essential workers, which puts them at higher risk of infection," the ACLU wrote. "It’s also a product of racial discrimination and economic disadvantages which raise barriers to adequate healthcare and often deny immigrants and people of color the safer work and living conditions that others benefit from."

The recordings were posted online on June 10, and Vos issued a stern rebuke of the governor's office over the recordings.

“The one thing that has traditionally distinguished state governments from the federal government is that despite strong philosophical differences, state leaders often find a way to get things done in times of crisis for the betterment of the people of their state," Vos said in a statement. "It can only work if there is a sense of trust, civility and integrity … all in short supply in Washington. This governor has violated all three of these critical character traits by secretly taping conversations with fellow leaders.

Civil rights leaders issued statements, calling for the Assembly Speaker to resign his seat.

"He should resign his leadership position because of his disregard for the lives of immigrants and working people," Christine Neumann-Ortiz, executive director of the immigrant advocacy group Voces de la Frontera, said in a statement.

According to Central Racine County Health Department information, Hispanic and Latino populations are disproportionately high when it comes to COVID-19 cases. Though the Hispanic and Latino population accounts for just over 13.4 percent of the county population, they make up 42 percent of all confirmed cases in Racine and 23 percent of all cases in all remaining Racine County municipalities according to health data.

This article originally appeared on the Mount Pleasant-Sturtevant Patch