REPUBLICAN presidential candidate Donald Trump intensified his inflammatory rhetoric on Monday (7), claiming illegal immigrants were introducing “bad genes” into the United States.
His comments came during a radio interview, where he criticised Democratic rival vice-president Kamala Harris and referenced government data showing thousands of immigrants with homicide convictions not in federal detention.
“You know now, a murderer – I believe this – it’s in their genes. We’ve got a lot of bad genes in our country right now,” Trump told conservative host Hugh Hewitt.
The White House quickly denounced his remarks, with press secretary Karine Jean Pierre labelling them as “vile” and “hateful,” and stating that such language “has no place in our country.”
Jean-Pierre further condemned Trump’s use of rhetoric, noting, “We’ve heard similar vile statements about migrants ‘poisoning the blood’ – that’s disgusting.”
She vowed that the administration would continue to reject such “disturbing and hateful speech.”
Trump was misconstruing data released in September by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. The figures cover a period spanning decades, including when Trump was president, and also don’t include people incarcerated in places other than ICE facilities.
Illegal immigration, particularly over the southern border with Mexico, remains a critical issue in the lead-up to the November 5 US presidential election.
Polls indicate it is a significant challenge for Harris, as record-high border crossings occurred at the end of 2023 under president Joe Biden’s administration. Harris became the Democratic candidate in July after Biden stepped down.
However, reports noted a 75 per cent decline in migrant apprehensions at the US-Mexico border in September, marking the lowest level since Trump’s presidency, according to Department of Homeland Security figures.
Trump, who is neck-and-neck with Harris in nationwide and swing-state polling ahead, has spent much of his campaign demonizing immigrants.
Last month, he accused Harris of being responsible for Biden’s border policies and called for her prosecution.
At a rally, Trump referred to immigrants as “animals” and claimed they were intent on “rape, pillage, thieving, and killing,” warning, “They will walk into your kitchen and cut your throat.”
Trump has also threatened legal Haitian residents in Ohio with deportation, falsely accusing them of eating locals’ pets.
The former president, who is the oldest major-party White House candidate and the first convicted felon to run for office, has been likened to Adolf Hitler for his remarks in December 2023, where he claimed immigrants were “poisoning the blood of our country.”
Damian Talbot