Washington — House Democrats moved to reprimand GOP Rep. Clay Higgins of Louisiana on Wednesday following a controversial social media post in which he referred to Haitian migrants as “thugs” and “slapstick gangsters” who needed to “get their a** out of our country.” The post has since been deleted.
Rep. Steven Horsford, chairman of the Congressional Black Caucus, called for an investigation by the House Committee on Ethics and urged the House to censure Higgins, marking a significant rebuke of a sitting member of Congress. Higgins, however, expressed no remorse, stating, “I do not regret my comments.”
During a heated exchange on the House floor, Horsford confronted Higgins, asking him to delete the post. When Higgins said he would “pray about it,” Horsford warned that he would escalate the issue to the floor if Higgins refused. Ultimately, Higgins removed the post but stood by his remarks, asserting his right to free speech.
“It’s all true,” Higgins declared, adding that he could post more controversial statements if he wished. “It’s not a big deal to me. It’s like something stuck to the bottom of my boot. Just scrape it off and move on with my life.”
Horsford, appearing on CNN’s “AC360,” emphasized the importance of addressing Higgins’ comments, which he labeled as “divisive, racially charged, hateful rhetoric.” He expressed concern for the implications of such statements on marginalized communities.
Higgins’ remarks come amidst a backdrop of false claims about Haitian immigrants, which have been propagated by figures including former President Donald Trump. The Haitian migrants referenced by Higgins are primarily in the U.S. legally under a parole program that allows citizens to bring family members from Haiti.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries also condemned Higgins’ statements, questioning his position on a bipartisan task force investigating assassination attempts against Trump. “The statement by Congressmember Clay Higgins was disgusting and dangerous,” Jeffries remarked, urging House Republican leadership to reconsider Higgins’ role on the task force.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson attempted to portray Higgins as regretful, stating that Higgins acknowledged the offensiveness of his comments after discussing them with colleagues. Johnson emphasized the belief in redemption within the House.
Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey expressed shock at Higgins’ comments, reflecting the broader dismay among House Democrats regarding the rhetoric surrounding Haitian migrants.
