Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins walks back racist comments about Haitians after backlash

Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins on Thursday retracted feedback he made about Haitian immigrants in a now-deleted social media submit.

“You by no means wish to deliberately damage somebody’s emotions, and that submit was supposed for Haitian gangs, you perceive?” Higgins, a Republican, informed reporters. “The unintended influence that was expressed very sincerely from one among my colleagues very graciously, that touched me as a gentleman.”

NPR contacted Higgins’ workplace for remark however has not acquired a response.

Higgins has acquired backlash in current days for amplifying false claims about Haitians consuming pets and calling them “thugs” in response to a report by the Related Press. The information group reported that the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit group supporting Haitians, is looking for prison prices towards former President Donald Trump and his operating mate, JD Vance,

“Lol. These Haitians are wild. Consuming pets, vudu, nastiest nation within the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters… however damned in the event that they don’t really feel all subtle now, submitting prices towards our President and VP,” Higgins wrote on his official account on X. “All these thugs higher get their thoughts proper and their asses out of our nation earlier than January twentieth.”

Requested about his feedback on CNN later Wednesday, Higgins defended the tweet.

“It’s all true,” Higgins stated, in line with the information group. “I can put up one other controversial submit tomorrow if you need me to. I imply, we do have freedom of speech. I’ll say what I would like.”

The Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday condemned his feedback and launched a decision to censure Higgins.

“Referring to Haiti because the “nastiest nation within the western hemisphere” and denigrating Haitians with vile and demeaning phrases goes towards a foundational precept about our nation: that America is a nation of immigrants the place all are welcome,” the caucus stated in a press release. “Each member of Congress have to be clear that we have to remove hate in all its varieties. It’s time to flip the web page on this sample of denigrating and villainizing immigrants for political acquire.”

Home Speaker Mike Johnson informed reporters throughout a press convention on Wednesday that Higgins was approached by congressional members concerning the submit and took it down, saying the lawmaker “regretted” what he posted.

“Clay Higgins is an expensive good friend of mine and a colleague from Louisiana and a really frank and outspoken particular person. He’s additionally a really principled man. I feel – I didn’t even see it – however he tweeted one thing as we speak about Haitians. And he was approached on the ground by colleagues who stated that was offensive,” Johnson informed reporters. “I simply talked to him about it, he stated he went to the again and he prayed about it and he regretted it. And he pulled the submit down. That’s what you need a gentleman to do. I’m positive he most likely regrets a few of the language he used. However you already know, we transfer ahead. We imagine in redemption round right here.”

Copyright 2024 NPR