Right-wing vlogger Tomi Lahren calls refugees ‘rapeugees’

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Facebook star and right-wing commentator Tomi Lahren said celebrities should not talk about the humanitarian crisis surrounding refugees because the Hollywood elite would not end up with "rapeugees" in their own back yard.

During a conversation with fellow right-wing commentator Graham Allen on online television show The Blaze, Ms Lahren questioned why celebrities did not talk about veterans as much as they talk about refugees.

She also questioned celebrities' right to talk about an issue that, she said, may not directly impact their own lives.

"They will never have refugees or rapeugees in their back yard,” she said. ”I don’t think they’re going to pump refugees into Beverly Hills."

"They will never be near one but it’s easy for them to stand on a stage and talk about [the issue],” she added. "That’s incredibly frustrating to me."

California is home to several sanctuary cities that grant certain rights to undocumented migrants and which are at risk of losing federal funding after Mr Trump’s election.

Mr Allen said on The Blaze that it should be "America first", a phrase used by President Trump at his Inauguration ceremony, and he added that a conversation about military veterans should not include a discussion about refugees.

Ms Lahren's Facebook video, which has been seen more than 700,000 times, follows a series of executive orders signed by the President, which ban immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries and aim to crack down on illegal immigrants, drug cartels and violent crime - despite data showing that violent crime is on the decline over the last few decades.

"They [transnational criminal organisations] have been known to commit brutal murders, rapes, and other barbaric acts," one of the orders read.

The President has also signed an order to publish a weekly list of "criminal actions committed by aliens".

Attorney General Jeff Sessions also accused "lawlessness" for brining in immigrants who "affect the safety of Americans and pull down wages."

Similar language is often applied to immigrants and refugees by right-wing commentators to stoke fear. Incidents such as the death of Kathryn Steinle, who authorities say was killed by a Mexican immigrant who had been deported five times, were used by Mr Trump on the campaign trail as a way to demonise millions of people.

There is scarce data to suggest that immigrants, including undocumented immigrants, commit a higher proportion of crime than native-born US citizens.

A 2010 census and an American Communities Survey led the non-profit American Immigration Council to discover that immigrants to the US were significantly less likely than native-born citizens to be imprisoned.

Another study from the National Bureau of Economic Research in 2007 found that immigrants were five times less likely than native-born citizens to be incarcerated, and the likelihood decreased even more between 1980 and 2000.

"Look at Europe, look at the example they have provided for us," said Ms Lahren in the video. "Look what happens, when you welcome Tom, Dick, Harry and Mohammed. That is what happens. They are dealing with the repercussions of that right now."

Ms Lahren insisted that she "understood reality", was not a victim to her emotions and it was incorrect to describe her as "cold-hearted".

The 24-year-old has become part of the mainstream, appearing on Trevor Noah's chat show to defend her opinions, and each of her "Final Thoughts" videos gathering millions of views on social media.