'Straight up scumbag': Internet eviscerates Rick Santorum for telling Dreamer to leave his country

A poignant exchange between a DREAMER and Rick Santorum prompted online backlash Tuesday after the former Pennsylvania representative told the Mexican-born engineer she should go to another country.

Elizabeth Vilchis, who—like Santorum’s own father—was brought to the United States when she was just 7 years old, spoke with the Republican spokesman during Van Jones’s CNN special The Messy Truth. Vilchis said after learning at a young age about a shortfall in people pursuing STEM career paths, she “decided to be part of the solution,” first earning a degree in mechanical engineering then spending almost a decade encouraging other students to enter the field.

“I stand to lose all the work that I’ve done if the administration decides to end DACA,” Vilchis said, referring to the immigration policy Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals which permits undocumented immigrants who entered into the country as minors to receive deferred action against deportation.

“My career will come to an end if that program ends and I will also potentially be labelled for deportation, which means I am going to be removed form the communities that I’ve contributed to so much,” Vilchis said, asking for advice from Santorum about how she should plan for her future given Trump's tough talk on deportation.

Santorum responded with his “own personal story” of his father coming to the country when he was 7 years old. The former representative said his father felt that coming to America “was worth doing the right way.”

What most people in America feel is that you’ve been given a tremendous benefit by being here in this country,” Santorum said, later adding that his "guess" is that Vilches "wouldn't have had the opportunities to be able to accomplish what you have" anywhere else.

“My final point is that you have the ability to go to any other country right now and apply those wares, and be successful, and reapply to come back to America," Santorum added.

CNN contributor Ana Navarro came to Vilchis’s defense, slamming Santorum for his callous statement. “First of all, this is your country,” Navarro responded. “No matter what he says, no matter what anybody else says, this is your country.”

“That’s not what the law says,” Sanatorum shot back.

Undeterred, Navarro continued, “I, as an American, thank you for the contributions you are making to our joint country. I want you here.” The CNN contributor added that“anonymity is no longer an option for people like” Vilchis.

“You’ve got to tell your story and change and affect public opinion, because your stories are beautiful. They’re the stories of the American dream," Navarro said.

Returning to Santorum, Vilchis explained that she was brought to the United States as a child without any knowledge of her situation.

“It’s tragic to hear that,” Santorum replied, later adding, "As much as I’m sympathetic to you, you should recognize the gift that America has given you and that you can give to the world.”

Observers were quick to criticize Santorum's answer, lambasting him on social media for his dismissive and insensitive suggestion that a woman who’s lived in the United States for the majority of her life, and had no say over it in the first place, should be forced to leave the country she calls home.

Watch the exchange below, via CNN: