Former President Donald Trump ignited a fresh wave of controversy on Monday during a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, asserting that illegal immigrants are introducing “bad genes” into the United States.
This statement is part of Trump’s ongoing narrative on immigration, which has been criticised for vilifying migrants.
In his remarks, Trump targeted Vice President Kamala Harris, his opponent in the upcoming presidential election, referencing government statistics that he claimed showed 13,000 immigrants, including those with homicide convictions, living freely in the U.S.
“How about allowing people to come to an open border, 13,000 of whom were murderers, many of whom murdered far more than one person?
They are now happily living in the United States,” Trump said.
He added, “A murderer — I believe this — it’s in their genes. We’ve got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.”
However, Trump’s use of data appears to misrepresent findings from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
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The figures cited encompass individuals from multiple decades, including Trump’s own presidency, and do not accurately reflect those not detained by ICE in state or local facilities.
The backlash against Trump’s statements was swift.
Conservative commentator Richard Hanania, while disputing the 13,000 figure, echoed Trump’s sentiment about crime and genetics but urged caution, noting the generally low crime rates among immigrants.
“I don’t normally defend Trump’s statements, and even here he drops the 13,000 released murderers lie,” Hanania remarked.
As Trump and Harris prepare for a tightly contested election, immigration remains a focal point of Trump’s campaign.
He has consistently portrayed undocumented and even some legal immigrants as threats to public safety.
In previous rallies, Trump has called for the prosecution of Harris over President Biden’s border policies, labeling immigrants as “animals” with harmful intentions.
This is not the first time Trump’s comments have drawn fire; he faced widespread condemnation in December for suggesting that immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country,” a statement that echoed the rhetoric of Adolf Hitler.
Despite the controversy, Trump continues to maintain a competitive position in polling as the election approaches, setting the stage for one of the most contentious races in recent history.