Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Alexandria Ocasio-CortezWells Fargo CEO issues apology after saying there was a 'limited pool of Black talent' Brand responds to Trump claim protesters throw tuna cans at police: 'Eat em, don't throw em' CNN's Don Lemon: 'Blow up the entire system' remark taken out of context MORE (D-N.Y.) defended a fellow freshman Democrat who claimed that migrant deaths at the U.S.-Mexico border are an "intentional" part of the Trump administration's immigration policy.

In a tweet, Ocasio-Cortez wrote that Rep. Lauren Underwood Lauren UnderwoodObama announces first wave of 2020 endorsements The Hill's Coronavirus Report: GoDaddy CEO Aman Bhutani says DC policymakers need to do more to support ventures and 'solo-preneurs'; Federal unemployment benefits expire as coronavirus deal-making deadlocks The Hill's Coronavirus Report: iBIO Chairman and CEO Thomas Isett says developing a safe vaccine is paramount; US surpasses 150,000 coronavirus deaths with roughy one death per minute MORE (D-Ill.) had "the audacity to say the obvious" after Underwood called the Trump administration's immigration policies and the situation at the southern border "cruel and inhumane" during a House hearing.

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The New York congresswoman also accused Republicans of trying to "silence" Underwood.

"Yesterday, GOP moved to silence Lauren Underwood’s words bc she had the audacity to say the obvious: that stealing children away from their parents, trafficking, & caging them w/o end is intended to do harm," Ocasio-Cortez wrote. "They tried to silence her; make her back down. She didn’t. Be proud."

Yesterday, GOP moved to silence Lauren Underwood’s words bc she had the audacity to say the obvious: that stealing children away from their parents, trafficking, & caging them w/o end is intended to do harm.



They tried to silence her; make her back down.

She didn’t.

Be proud https://t.co/3KRRCxGPap — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 23, 2019

Underwood's remarks Wednesday at a hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee were aimed at acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan, whom Underwood accused of helping President Trump Donald John TrumpBiden on Trump's refusal to commit to peaceful transfer of power: 'What country are we in?' Romney: 'Unthinkable and unacceptable' to not commit to peaceful transition of power Two Louisville police officers shot amid Breonna Taylor grand jury protests MORE carry out a policy that was leading to "intentional" deaths of children in U.S. custody.

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"With five kids that have died ... the evidence is really clear that this is intentional, it’s a policy choice being made on purpose by this administration, and it’s cruel and inhumane," Underwood, who is a nurse, told the DHS chief. Her remarks followed the report of the death of a fifth migrant child in the Trump administration's custody this week.

Her remarks were stricken from the congressional record after a protest from Rep. Mike Rogers Michael (Mike) Dennis RogersDemocrats slam DHS chief for defying subpoena for testimony on worldwide threats Remembering 9/11 as we evaluate today's emerging threats Hillicon Valley: Tech CEOs brace for House grilling | Senate GOP faces backlash over election funds | Twitter limits Trump Jr.'s account MORE (R-Ala.), the committee's ranking member.

"You cannot impugn the character of the witness by stating that he intentionally murders children. That is completely inappropriate and her words should be taken down," Rogers said.

McAleenan also fired back during the hearing, calling Underwood's remarks "appalling."

"Our men and women fight hard to protect people in our custody every single day," he said. "We’ve asked for [these] resources three weeks ago ... and we’ve asked for changes in authorities for the last three years that would have prevented this from happening."