Pelosi receives backlash for saying Florida needs migrants 'to pick the crops'

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said on Friday that Florida farmers need undocumented migrants “to pick up the crops” as she called for a “comprehensive immigration reform” to help with the shortage of workers in the U.S.

When asked about whether the border was secure, the house speaker responded that "we have a responsibility to secure our border, we also have a responsibility to recognize the importance of newcomers to our nation."

"Right now, the best thing that we can do for our economy is comprehensive immigration reform," said the California Democrat during a news conference at the Capitol.

Pelosi addressed the recent moves by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and Texas Governor Gregg to send thousands of undocumented immigrants from border states to other states further north, such as New York City, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

"We have a shortage of workers in our country, and you see even in Florida, some of the farmers and the growers saying, 'Why are you shipping these immigrants up North? We need them to pick the crops down here,'" she said.

Pelosi’s comments received backlash on Twitter, with many accusing her of suggesting the U.S. should open its borders to take advantage of “cheap foreign labor.”

“It’s clear Pelosi and Democrats are exploiting illegal aliens and only view them as cheap labor,” tweeted Arizona GOP Representative Andy Biggs.

“Hard to believe immigrants who have become American citizens are starting to vote Republican when the leader of the congressional Democrat party views them only as fruit pickers,” tweeted Republican consultant Nathan Wurtzel.

“For Democrats, mass immigration checks two boxes: 1. More future voters 2. Cheap foreign labor,” tweeted The Federation for American Immigration Reform.