Skip to content

Press Release

Where Trump Sees ‘The Snake,’ America Sees Paddington Bear

WASHINGTON, D.C. — At the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) today, President Trump recited the poem “The Snake” during the immigration portion of his speech, essentially comparing millions of immigrants in our nation to snakes.

“When the majority of Americans think about immigrants, they think about the dreams and aspirations of their forebears, their new neighbors, their children’s best friends,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Where Trump sees ‘The Snake,’ Americans see ‘Paddington Bear’ and the journey of an immigrant to a welcoming community.

“We’d like to start a new conversation. What are the stories, parables and phrases that represent immigrants better than Trump’s ‘The Snake’?

“President Trump can find our top five here, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.”

###

Learn More

Read more about Policy Bulletin — Friday, March 27, 2026

Legislative Bulletin

Policy Bulletin — Friday, March 27, 2026

Read more about Explainer: U.S. Border Patrol Authorities and the 100-Mile Border Zone

Explainer

Explainer: U.S. Border Patrol Authorities and the 100-Mile Border Zone

Read more about Fact Sheet: Immigrants and Public Benefits in 2026

Fact Sheet

Fact Sheet: Immigrants and Public Benefits in 2026