House Democrats made a swift attempt to censure Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana after he made derogatory remarks about Haitian immigrants on social media. In a now-deleted post, Higgins referred to Haitians in racist terms, sparking outrage and condemnation.
The controversy arose following false claims made by Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his running mate Sen. JD Vance, alleging that Haitians were eating pets. This led to a wave of racist abuse directed at the Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, and beyond.
The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit organization, took action by filing charges against Trump and Vance for the chaos and threats faced by Haitian immigrants in Springfield. The charges were based on the false claims made by the Republican candidates.
In response to these events, Higgins posted on social media, urging Haitians to leave the country before January 20th, the day of Trump's potential presidential inauguration. His inflammatory remarks drew sharp criticism from Democrats, with Rep. Steve Horsford leading an effort to censure Higgins for inciting hate and fear.
Despite the Democrats' push for censure, Republican leadership intervened to block the resolution. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Higgins, describing him as a principled man who had shown remorse by deleting the controversial post. Johnson emphasized the importance of redemption and moving forward.
This is not the first time Higgins has courted controversy with his social media posts. In the past, he has made inflammatory statements, including a Facebook post in 2020 where he threatened to use force against armed protesters.
The incident involving Higgins underscores the ongoing tensions surrounding immigration and race in American politics, highlighting the need for accountability and responsible discourse among lawmakers.
