House Democrats in Washington D.C. initiated a swift action on Wednesday to censure a Republican congressman, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, who made derogatory remarks about Haitian immigrants on social media. The congressman described Haitians in offensive terms, labeling them as “wild, eating pets, voodoo, the nastiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters.” The post, shared on X (formerly known as Twitter), was later deleted by Higgins once Democrats demanded accountability on the House floor.
The Haitian community in Springfield, Ohio, and across the nation faced a surge of racist remarks after false allegations by Republican figures, including presidential candidate Donald Trump and Sen. JD Vance, that Haitians were consuming pets. This misinformation led to discriminatory behavior towards Haitians in Springfield. It was reported that a nonprofit representing the Haitian community took a stand by filing charges against Trump and Vance for the chaos and threats directed at legal immigrants in Springfield following the baseless claims made during a presidential debate.
President Trump has also expressed intentions to deport immigrants like those in Springfield who legally entered the country through a temporary stay program. Higgins, in response to these events, posted on social media urging Haitians to leave the country before January 20th, coinciding with the presidential inauguration if Trump were to win the election.
During a session in the House chamber before the November election, Rep. Steve Horsford, a Nevada Democrat who heads the Congressional Black Caucus, made an effort to introduce a censure resolution against Higgins. Horsford emphasized that Higgins’ words were fueling hatred and fear, calling for accountability and unity within the legislative body.
However, Republican leaders swiftly intervened to prevent the resolution from progressing. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Higgins, noting their friendship and praising Higgins for reflecting on his actions, apologizing, and deleting the post. Johnson highlighted that Higgins regretted the language used in his social media post and expressed his belief in redemption.
Higgins, known for making controversial posts on social media since his election to Congress in 2016, has a history of stirring up discussions with his online statements. One such incident in 2020 involved a Facebook post where he vowed to take action against armed protesters.
