US president Donald Trump on Thursday used a racially charged insult for immigrants from Haiti and Africa, decrying them as from “shithole countries” amid mounting speculation about an impending deal on the vexatious issue of immigration.
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump is reported to have said, according to the Washington Post that first reported the matter.
Trump was referring to African countries and Haiti and went on to suggest the United States should welcome more people from countries like Norway.
Norway, a predominantly white country that is also the world’s third richest and is itself major draw for immigrants from around the world, might have been on the US president’s mind having received its prime minister on Wednesday, with whom he had also addressed a joint news conference.
Trump’s remarks came during discussions about a legislation granting citizenship to undocumented people brought to the United States as children — an estimated 700,000 people, of whom 8,000 are from India — who face deportation after Trump ended an Obama-era regulation protecting them.
Trump has agreed to consider legitimising their stay demanding in return enhanced border security, which includes his promised wall along the border with Mexico, an end to visa-lottery and replacing chain migration of family and relatives by a merit-based system such as that used in Canada and Australia.
Senators Lindsey Graham, a Republican, and Richard Durbin, a Democrat, were discussing their proposal on the status of these undocumented children — covered by Deferred Actions for Childhood Arrivals — and which also included a plan to use visas saved from ending the lottery for those already here.
Trump was dismayed and got angry when he heard these people could include immigrants from Haiti, and then he wanted to know why should the United States admit people from Africa, which is a major source of immigrants for the diversity visa lottery, which he has opposed for long.
The lawmakers present in the room were aghast. And outrage piled up outside soon enough.
“President Trump may speak as President of the United States, but he doesn’t speak presidentially or for the United States,” Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthy, a Democrat, wrote on Twitter.
Bill Kristol, a conservative NeverTrumper, wrote on Twitter, “Oprah would not, in an Oval Office meeting with senators, use the term ‘shithole counties (countries)’. Oprah also would not to go to Davos.”
He has been urging talk-show host Oprah Winfrey to run, since her speech at the Golden Globes.
The White House rushed to contain the outrage with a statement just minutes after the outburst during a meeting with the lawmakers leaked. But it was not a denial nor did it address the issue of the phrase used by the president to describe, it only reiterated Trump’s position on the issue.
“Certain Washington politicians choose to fight for foreign countries, but President Trump will always fight for the American people,” deputy press secretary Raj Shah said as angry reactions poured.
“Like other nations that have merit-based immigration, President Trump is fighting for permanent solutions that make our country stronger by welcoming those who can contribute to our society, grow our economy and assimilate into our great nation.”
Culled From HindustanTimes
No comments