Congresswoman Frederica Wilson suggested Tuesday that people who make disparaging comments about lawmakers online be 'prosecuted.'
The representative from
Florida was visiting the Homestead Temporary Shelter for Unaccompanied Children about 30 miles south of her district when she said she wants to 'shut down' those who make fun of members of Congress.
'Those people who are online making fun of members of Congress are a disgrace, and there is no need for anyone to think that is unacceptable [sic],' she said while speaking to reporters and demonstrators in Homestead, Florida.
'We're going to shut them down and work with whoever it is to shut them down, and they should be prosecuted,' she continued. 'You cannot intimidate members of Congress – threaten members of Congress. It is against the law, and it's a shame in this United States of America.'
The Democratic lawmaker made her assertion from outside the Homestead facility as reports of a secret Facebook group made up of current and former Customs and Border Protection agents, which is used mostly to post vulgar and offensive content, came to light.
Non-profit investigative outlet ProPublica posted a report Monday that revealed some of the abhorrent content, including an illustration posted by one of the 9,500 members that depicted Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez being sexually assaulted by President Donald Trump.
One user also said he would give a cash prize to anyone that threw burritos at Latina congresswomen Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Veronica Escobar of Texas.
Besides misogynistic and vulgar content aimed at lawmakers, the group made up of immigration enforcement officers and agents also showed indifference toward migrant deaths.
