Representative Clay Higgins from Louisiana referred to Haiti as the “nastiest country in the western hemisphere” in a social media post on Wednesday, stating that migrants from the country, the majority of whom are legally in the U.S., should “get their ass out of our country.”
Higgins’ comments on X, which were deleted a few hours later, were a reaction to an Associated Press report about a Haitian nonprofit that filed criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance due to their unfounded assertions regarding migrants in Springfield, Ohio. Trump previously claimed in a presidential debate that these migrants were “eating the dogs” and “eating the cats.” Higgins echoed this discredited claim, which had already led to numerous bomb threats in the city.
He remarked, “Lol. These Haitians are wild. Eating pets, vudu, nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters… but damned if they don’t feel all sophisticated now, filing charges against our President and VP,” referencing Trump and Vance as Republican presidential and vice presidential nominees. The post concluded with a warning for “all these thugs” to “get their mind right and their ass out of our country before January 20th,” the date on which Trump and Vance would be inaugurated if they win the upcoming election.
Subodh Chandra, the attorney for the Haitian Bridge Alliance, denounced Higgins’ post as a “clear threat” rather than merely a dog-whistle. He emphasized that there should be accountability within the House of Representatives for such conduct.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, also from Louisiana, defended Higgins, describing him as a dear friend and candid colleague. He stated that Higgins expressed regret after discussing the matter and subsequently deleted the post.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized Higgins’ remarks as “vile, racist, and beneath the dignity” of Congress, asserting that he should face consequences for his behavior. Following this, Representative Steve Horsford from Nevada introduced a motion to censure Higgins for inciting hate and fear.
Higgins’ colleague, Steve Scalise, objected to the motion, highlighting that the tweet had already been removed. However, the motion to censure was deemed out of order.
Afterwards, Horsford commented that Higgins had shown no remorse and had refused to take down the post when asked. He highlighted the negative impact of such rhetoric on communities.
In Springfield, the majority of Haitian migrants have temporary protected status granted by the Department of Homeland Security. Both Trump and Vance have stated they would eliminate this protection and deport these individuals if elected.
Higgins is noted for his strong support of Trump and for using provocative rhetoric in the past. He has faced criticism for previous comments regarding Islamic terrorism and has made headlines for his confrontational behavior, including the removal of an activist from a press event in 2022.