Haitian leaders condemn social media post disparaging Haiti

Haitian American rally in North Miami. PHOTO COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.

Miami – A Republican Louisiana lawmaker made a vile comment about Haiti amid the chaos caused by former President Donald Trump and Vice President nominee J.D. Vance for making false claims that Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio are eating their neighbors’ pets.

According to AlterNet, U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-LA) received backlash on social media after posting on Sept. 24 that "Haiti is the nastiest country in the Western Hemisphere," adding more fuel to the fire between Republicans and Haitian Americans.

He apparently posted the remark in response to a Haitian group taking legal action against Trump and Vance, a senator from Ohio, for maligning the Haitian community.

The Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit, has filed a lawsuit against Trump, Vance, and other GOP leaders for spreading false rumors that Haitian immigrants in the Ohio city are abducting, slaughtering and eating cats, dogs and other pets belonging to their neighbors.

Higgins took to social media in response to the alliance’s legal action against the GOP on X: "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. All these thugs better get their mind right and their a** out of our country before January 20th."

Higgins has since deleted the post.

Trump broached the false claim during his debate with Vice President Kamala Harris last month when the two clashed over immigration, and Vance made the false accusation on X.

Ohio has seen a flux of Haitian immigrants in the past two years, according to Springfield city officials.

“In the last several weeks, my office has received many inquiries from actual residents of Springfield who’ve said their neighbors’ pets or local wildlife were abducted by Haitian migrants. It’s possible, of course, that all of these rumors will turn out to be false,” Vance posted on X last month.

In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for the City of Springfield said there have been no credible reports or specific claims of pets being harmed, injured or abused by individuals within the immigrant community.”

"JD Vance and GOP leaders’ racially motivated attacks against Haitian people are disgusting, bigoted, and based on flat-out lies," the spokesperson said.

Higgins’ incendiary comments are the latest verbal jab at Haitian Americans who GOP leaders want to see deported to resolve the massive immigration crisis in America.

The Congressional Black Caucus last week condemned his comments and introduced legislation to censure Higgins. “Referring to Haiti as the ’nastiest country in the western hemisphere’ and denigrating Haitians with vile and demeaning terms goes against a foundational principle about our country: that America is a nation of immigrants where all are welcome,” the caucus said in a statement. “Every member of Congress must be clear that we need to eliminate hate in all its forms. It is time to turn the page on this pattern of denigrating and villainizing immigrants for political gain.”

The Haitian Bridge Alliance is invoking an Ohio statute that allows private citizens in the state to file criminal charges, according to Cleveland, Ohio-based Chandra Law Firm which is representing the organization.

The group is seeking the arrest of both men, accusing them of making false alarms, disrupting public services, telecommunications harassment and aggravated menacing.

“The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted,” Subodh Chandra, lead counsel in the lawsuit, said in a press release. “Trump and Vance must be held accountable to the rule of law.”

Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio fear for their safety after the false claim surfaced that they are abducting and eating cats, dogs and other pets.

City officials in Springfield said Haitian immigrants felt they were being targeted with hate, including bomb threats, and asked for police protection.

Some Haitian immigrants reportedly were afraid to leave their homes to go to work while others have temporarily shut down their businesses and seek refuge in their domiciles.

The false claim enraged Haitian American leaders and some passed resolutions condemning Trump and Vance’s men, accusing them of making false alarms, disrupting public services, telecommunications harassment and aggravated menacing.

“The Haitian community is suffering in fear because of Trump and Vance’s relentless, irresponsible, false alarms, and public services have been disrupted,” Subodh Chandra, lead counsel in the lawsuit, said in a press release. “Trump and Vance must be held accountable to the rule of law.”

Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio fear for their safety after the false claim surfaced that they are abducting and eating cats, dogs and other pets.

City officials in Springfield said Haitian immigrants felt they were being targeted with hate, including bomb threats, and asked for police protection.

Some Haitian immigrants reportedly were afraid to leave their homes to go to work while others have temporarily shut down their businesses and seek refuge in their domiciles.

The false claim enraged Haitian American leaders and some passed resolutions condemning Trump and Vance’s comments.

U.S. Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, a Democrat representing portions of Broward and Palm Beach counties, said she introduced a resolution with the Haiti Caucus co-chairs to condemn the "hateful misinformation" that has been spreading about the hardworking Haitian community in Springfield.

"I stand with my colleagues and members of the Haitian and African Diaspora to unite our voices in condemning the misleading and unjust narratives circulating about the Haitian immigrant community in Springfield, Ohio," she said in a statement. "Haitian immigrants in Springfield arrived through legal pathways with authorization to work and contribute to the economy. Many came through the humanitarian parole program, which also benefited other countries like Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.

"These families came here to work hard, raise their children, and contribute to our society."

Democratic North Miami state Rep. Dotie Joseph, a Haitian immigrant, said Trump and Vance made a racial epithet at the expense of the Haitian American community.

“The two reckless individuals at the top of the GOP ticket would rather have everyone suffer so they can take cheap political shots and play political games with people’s lives,” said Joseph.

Haitian Americans held a rally last week in the City of North Miami to condemn the GOP comments.

North Miami constitutes a large Caribbean population, where hundreds of Haitian Americans turned out for the rally holding placards and waiving the Haitian flag.

State Rep. Shervin Jones, a Democrat from West Park, attended the rally to show solidarity with the Haitian American community.

"We must fight like hell for our Haitian brothers and sisters and push back against the rhetoric from Donald Trump and JD Vance," Jones said. "Today, it’s the Haitian community; tomorrow, it could be your community!"

In an open letter published in the Opinion page of the Miami Herald last week, Jones said Haitian Americans can help decide the presidential election in Florida.

He said there are over 300,000 registered Haitian voters in Florida, and in 2018, Haitian voter turnout was an impressive 73 percent, far above the 64 percent overall turnout in the state.

"This electorate holds significant power, especially in a state like Florida where every vote counts. Haitian voters are a vital part of the diverse coalition that will help decide the future of this country," Jone said.

Jones and Trump and Vance’s comments have made Haitian American the targets of violence in their own backyards.

"Words matter, and the toxic rhetoric Trump and Vance are spreading online is having real-world consequences. Most recently, we had bomb threats all using hateful, xenophobic language toward migrants," Jone said. "These threats didn’t stop there–two elementary schools were evacuated, and a middle school was closed due to a similar threat. This alarming escalation is directly connected to the baseless rumors spread by Trump and his allies, highlighting the real harm their words inflict on communities."

Edgar Leblanc Fils, the head of Haiti’s presidential transitional council, was also offended by Trump and Vance’s comments degrading his country’s people.

“The passions that naturally arise during an election campaign should never serve as a pretext for xenophobia or racism in a country such as the United States, a country forged by immigrants,” Fils said during his speech to the United Nations General Assembly.