Representative Becca Balint (D-VT) is facing widespread criticism following comments she made during a recent town hall event in Newport, Vermont. During the session, which focused in part on U.S. immigration policy, Rep. Balint used language that some constituents and political figures have called crude and offensive.
In response to a question about the current state of immigration in the United States, Rep. Balint emphasized the critical role immigrants and migrant laborers play in the country’s economy. She said, “Our economy is completely bound up in immigration and migrant labor. We have to come to a place in Congress where it is no longer a political issue, but we see it as an existential issue for the country.”
She went on to make a controversial remark intended to illustrate the labor shortage in the U.S. “If we don’t have avenues for people to come here legally to work or to build a home here, I’m going to be really crude right now — we’re not going to have anybody around to wipe our a–es because we don’t have enough people in our country now to fill the jobs that we have.”
While the remark was likely intended to underscore the urgency of creating legal pathways for immigrant workers, it quickly drew backlash from Vermont officials and beyond. Critics say the statement reduced immigrant workers to menial labor roles and did not reflect the full scope of their contributions.
NEW: Democrat Rep. and LGBT activist Becca Balint says we need immigrants to come to the country so we have people to “wipe out a$$es.”
Yikes. Career ending comment right there.
“If we don’t have avenues for people to come here legally to work or to build a home here … We’re… pic.twitter.com/lqJW4RGrd6
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) June 4, 2025
Paul Dame, chairman of the Vermont Republican Party, issued a statement demanding an apology from Rep. Balint. “Congresswoman Balint should apologize — not only for her crude choice of words, but more importantly for the disturbing sentiment that the primary purpose of immigration is to perform labor that she deems beneath the dignity of others,” he wrote.
Dame’s response included a broader defense of Vermont’s immigrant population. He pointed out that many immigrants in the state work in fields such as technology, healthcare, and business. “They are world-class physicians, engineers, and small business owners. The way Congresswoman Balint reduced Vermont’s hard-working legal immigrants to little more than ‘a– wipers’ is embarrassing,” he stated.
I’m not saying Democrats want illegal aliens in this country so they can have a permanent servant class, but Vermont Congresswoman Becca Balint just admitted she is unable to wipe her own ass if she doesn’t have an illegal to do it for her. pic.twitter.com/nfgQul6Sew
— Dan O’Donnell (@DanODonnellShow) June 4, 2025
The National Republican Congressional Committee also weighed in, calling Balint’s comment an example of support for what it described as “open borders.” The NRCC referenced her criticism of former President Trump’s immigration policies and framed her remarks as indicative of Democratic immigration priorities.
As of now, Rep. Balint has not publicly responded to the backlash or issued a formal apology. Her office has not released a statement addressing the criticism.
The town hall was one of several community meetings being held across Vermont as elected officials connect with voters to discuss pressing issues. Immigration has remained a polarizing topic at the federal level, with debates continuing around border security, labor shortages, and pathways to legal residency and citizenship.
Rep. Balint is the first woman and openly LGBTQ+ person to represent Vermont in Congress. She has focused on a number of progressive issues since her election, including climate change, housing affordability, and civil rights.
As the controversy continues to unfold, many in Vermont and across the country are watching closely to see how Rep. Balint addresses the reaction to her remarks and whether this incident will influence future conversations around immigration policy.
