Republican Congressman Clay Higgins eliminates post branding Haitian migrants as 'ruffians,' advocating for them to depart 'our nation's territory'
The head of the Congressional Black Caucus, Democratic Rep. Steven Horsford from Nevada, urged the House Committee on Ethics to probe into Higgins' posts on X and advocated for the House to discipline Higgins due to his remarks, which is a strong condemnation of a Congress member. Higgins spoke to CNN and expressed no remorse for his comments.
GOP Rep. Jay Obernolte of California, who was managing the floor for the Republicans at the time, declared that the issue couldn't be addressed at the moment because the House had completed voting for the month.
Before his public statements, Horsford confronted Higgins on the floor, leading to an intense argument as reported by sources who witnessed the altercation.
Despite the criticism and ultimately removing the post after claiming to have prayed over it, Higgins maintained his stance on the derogatory comments.
“Everything is factual,” Higgins asserted. “I can publish another controversial post if you'd like. We have the freedom of speech. I'll voice my opinion as I please.”
Pressing further, Higgins remarked, “It's no big deal to me. It's like something stuck on the bottom of my shoe. Just scrape it off and move on with my life.”
Higgins has continued to propagate incorrect claims about Haitian immigrants allegedly consuming pets of residents in Springfield, Ohio. This misinformation was spread by former President Donald Trump and his vice presidential candidate, Sen. JD Vance. The Haitian immigrants Higgins referred to are predominantly in the U.S. legally through a parole program that enables citizens and lawful residents to petition for their family members from Haiti to join them in the U.S.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries advised CNN that Republicans should reconsider removing Higgins from the bipartisan task force investigating the attempts on Trump's life due to his remarks regarding Haitian migrants.
“Congressman Clay Higgins' statement was delegate and hazardous,” Jeffries stated. “It's unclear why someone as irresponsible as Clay Higgins would be appointed to a serious task force that is investigating the activities of the Secret Service.”
“Perhaps that's something that House Republican leadership should reconsider,” Jeffries added.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson attempted to claim that Higgins regretted his post.
“Look, he was approached on the floor by colleagues who expressed that it was offensive. He went to the back – I just spoke with him about it – he stated that he went to the back and prayed about it and regretted it, and removed the post,” Johnson said Wednesday. “That's what you want the gentleman to do. I'm confident he probably regrets some of the language he used. But, you know, we value redemption here.”
Horsford, who was encircled by his colleagues on the floor as he pushed for Higgins to be held accountable, stated, “His words are promoting hate, they are promoting fear, and that's why it's crucial for this body to stand together and ensure that there is repercussions.”
Democratic Rep. Glenn Ivey of Maryland, who also serves as a member of the CBC, told CNN that Higgins' comments were “appalling.”
“I was quite taken aback,” Ivey added.
The controversy surrounding Higgins' remarks has sparked intense discussions in the realm of politics.
Given the divisive nature of Higgins' statements, calls for an ethical investigation and potential discipline within the House are not unprecedented in political discourse.
