Rep. Patrick Murphy, who is running for the Democratic nomination to the U.S. Senate seat occupied by Sen. Marco Rubio, declared earlier in the week that he is an "immigrant" even though he is a native Floridian.

Murphy made the remark during an interview with Fusion's Jorge Ramos, which aired on Tuesday, doing so while critiquing the "hatred and fear-mongering" being put forth by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. He also invoked the Statue of Liberty before making the comment, adding that "we're all basically immigrants here."

"Of course that's alarming," Murphy said when asked if he's afraid Trump could win in November. "Look at what he stands for —the hatred and the fear-mongering. And what ever party anyone is from, the fact that he is trying to divide our country. We are stronger as one, as a united country."

"That's what makes this country so beautiful and so unique. You think of the Statue of Liberty, and all of us," Murphy said. "I'm an immigrant. We're all basically immigrants here, and you think about that beacon of hope, of opportunity, and Trump is tearing that apart."

Murphy is not an immigrant, having been born in Miami and growing up in Florida. The congressman has come under fire in the past for embellishing his resume and other aspects of his past.

At the moment, Murphy is running against fellow Rep. Alan Grayson for the Democratic nomination to run against Rubio in November. Rubio, who announced his bid for reelection in June, is currently leading Murphy by 2.4 percent support, according to the latest RealClearPolitics average.