Donald Trump didn’t hold back when he referred to Haiti, El Salvador and African countries as “shithole countries” during an immigration meeting with lawmakers in the Oval Office on Thursday.
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” Trump asked, according to the Washington Post.
Shortly after the president’s choice of words flooded the news websites, local lawmakers didn’t hold back from reacting either.
“The president calling #Haiti a ‘shithole country’ ignores the contributions thousands of Haitians have made to our #SoFla community and nation,” Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen posted on Twitter. “Language like that shouldn’t be heard in locker rooms and it shouldn’t be heard in the White House.”
The president calling #Haiti a "shithole country" ignores the contributions thousands of Haitians have made to our #SoFla community and nation. Language like that shouldn't be heard in locker rooms and it shouldn't be heard in the White House
— Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (@RosLehtinen) January 11, 2018
Friday marks the eighth anniversary of Haiti’s earthquake, which killed more than 250,000 people.
Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo also chimed in, tweeting that “under no circumstances is it acceptable to degrade, denigrate, or dehumanize #TPS immigrants. The White House must immediately explain the situation and leave no doubt regarding what was said and in what context,” he said.
The men and women who have status under the TPS program are among the most humble and hard working in our country. They improve quality of life in our communities and many Americans depend on them to support family life.
— Carlos Curbelo (@carloslcurbelo) January 11, 2018
Read more at our news partner, the Miami Herald.