President Donald Trump drew audible gasps from the assembled Congressional members as he announced that he had asked Homeland Security to create an office called VOICE: Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement.

It was hinted earlier in the day that VOICE would work with ICE as a liaison with “known victims of crimes committed by removable aliens,” presumably to highlight specific crimes when immigrants were involved.

While some Congressional members gasped, those following Trump’s speech and commenting on Twitter noted that VOICE would be used as a propaganda tool to whip up anti-immigrant hysteria, with one person noting this is “how genocides begin.”

Read the tweets below:

"I have ordered [DHS] to create an office to serve American victims. The office is called 'VOICE': Victims Of Immigration Crime Engagement." pic.twitter.com/e5mvnndkLN

— CBS News (@CBSNews) March 1, 2017

What genius in the West Wing came up with the Gotham Cityesque agency called VOICE? Gonna go ahead and guess it was this guy: #JointAddress pic.twitter.com/Aq997jJszh

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) March 1, 2017

VOICE could not sound more sinister. Like something @warrenellis would come up with after some bad clams. #JointSession

— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) March 1, 2017

With the creation of #VOICE , Trump continues his nativist demonization of the immigrant community. Dangerous. Baseless. Shameful.

— León Krauze (@LeonKrauze) March 1, 2017

Wow VOICE is racist propaganda and how genocides begin. #Jointsession

— Tina Dupuy (@TinaDupuy) March 1, 2017

Trump's VOICE is a foul way to vilify immigrants as criminals; an ext of his slur against Mexicans as rapists & murderers. #JointAddress

— David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) March 1, 2017

Who TF is supporting VOICE? What makes the crimes committed against them any worst then those committed by Americans?…#JointAddress

— Jean-Carlo Palacios (@jcpala89) March 1, 2017

VOICE is so racist and un-American. Disgusting and shameful. Democrats better attack that "task force" #JointAddress

— Colleen Thompson (@7colleen11) March 1, 2017

@samsteinhp I'm not a liberal, but I think the speech was full of promises without a plan. Offended by VOICE. All victims need advocates.

— SJPrice (@sjprice528) March 1, 2017

So Trump now saying victims of crimes committed by natural born citizens are not as important as those by immigrants cause, u know, hate.

— Kurt Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) March 1, 2017

Victims of Immigrant Crime Engagement- VOICE is a slap in the face to anyone killed by anyone in this country who was ignored #Trumpaddress

— Resist & Desist (@ResistandDesist) March 1, 2017

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from billionaires and corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

Enjoy this piece?

… then let us make a small request. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

We need your support to keep producing quality journalism and deepen our investigative reporting. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.