House Democrats made attempts to censure Republican congressman Clay Higgins after he made racist comments about Haitian immigrants on social media. Higgins referred to Haitians in derogatory and stereotypical terms, sparking outrage and backlash from Democrats. The Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, and beyond has been subjected to racist abuse following false claims made by Republican presidential candidates Donald Trump and JD Vance about Haitians eating pets. The Haitian Bridge Alliance filed charges against Trump and Vance over the chaos and threats faced by Haitian immigrants in Ohio.
Trump has made promises to deport immigrants who entered the country legally through a federal program that allows them to remain temporarily. In response to these statements, Higgins posted on social media that Haitians should leave the country before Trump’s potential inauguration as president on January 20th. Rep. Steve Horsford, a Democrat from Nevada who chairs the Congressional Black Caucus, attempted to introduce a censure resolution against Higgins for his inflammatory remarks, accusing him of inciting hate and fear. However, Republicans swiftly blocked the resolution from proceeding further.
House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Higgins, calling him a principled man who made a mistake in his social media post. Johnson praised Higgins for deleting the post and expressing regret, stating that Higgins had prayed about it and had shown remorse for his words. Despite Higgins’ history of controversial social media posts, Johnson emphasized a belief in redemption and moving forward from the incident. Higgins had previously made headlines with a Facebook post in 2020 where he threatened to “drop” armed protesters where they stood, showcasing a pattern of provocative behavior on social media.
The incident involving Higgins and his racist comments towards Haitian immigrants highlights the ongoing issues of racism and xenophobia within American politics. Democratic lawmakers condemned Higgins for his remarks and attempted to hold him accountable through a censure resolution, but were met with resistance from Republican leaders. The strained relationship between different political parties and the inflammatory rhetoric used by some politicians continue to contribute to divisiveness and discrimination within the United States. It remains to be seen how this incident will impact future political discourse and efforts to address issues of racial discrimination and hate speech.
