Caribbean-American Legislators Condemn Anti-Immigrant Disinformation Campaign

Caribbean-American legislators in New York strongly denounced an anti-immigrant disinformation campaign by surrounding Haitian migrants. They accused Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance of spreading bogus reports about Haitians, with absurd claims that people have had their pets abducted and eaten by people who shouldn’t be in this country.

A Threat to Vulnerable Communities

"It’s truly sickening to see America’s most powerful prey on its most vulnerable through xenophobic, despicable disinformation," said Democratic Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke, the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. "Though even acknowledging these heinous, anti-immigrant rumors is beneath our common decency, unfortunately, billionaires and extreme conservatives, aided by their allies in far-right media spaces, continue to give life to these dangerous, disproven lies.

Their anti-immigrant prevarications are not only dangerous and inflammatory, they play on bigoted stereotypes that seek to isolate migrant families and foster hatred towards their communities. Haitian migrants who escaped national repression do not deserve to be slandered by racist fearmongers while seeking safety in America.

A Call to Action

"We each have a responsibility to reject those seeking to ignite tensions by sharing information they know to be false," Clarke continued. "And we each have a moral obligation to stand for the truth and stand with our Haitian American neighbors."

Brooklyn Democratic Party Chair, Assemblywoman Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn, the first Haitian-American to lead a major party in New York City, also condemned the campaign. "The Trump Campaign keeps spreading disgusting and blatantly racist fake ‘news’ attacking immigrants, this time with VP contender J.D. Vance sharing absurd social media claims that Haitian immigrants are ‘abducting and eating’ people’s pets," she said.

Unite Against Hate and Fear

"Haitian-born New York City Council Member Mercedes Narcisse also condemned the "harmful anti-Haitian rhetoric," saying, "Enough is enough." As a proud Haitian immigrant, I am deeply disappointed that our political discourse has sunk to such a low, once again targeting Haitians with baseless and harmful lies.

Our community has endured so much, from overcoming social and political struggles to fighting stereotypes that have caused actual harm. When I was younger, many of us were bullied because of the false narrative that AIDS started in Haiti. Now, I fear for the next generation of young Haitian-American children who may face similar bullying due to these new, damaging lies.

Conclusion

It is time to unite, reject these lies, and work together toward real solutions that honor our shared humanity. We must raise the standards of our political conversations and focus on facts, not fearmongering. As one of the most prominent Democratic organizations in the nation, the Brooklyn Democratic Party embraces our borough’s wonderfully diverse communities. That’s why I proudly support Kamala Harris, a daughter of immigrants, to become our nation’s first woman, first Black woman, and first Asian American President, as she keeps fighting to defend immigrants.

FAQs

Q: What is the anti-immigrant disinformation campaign about?
A: The campaign is spreading false and harmful information about Haitian immigrants, including absurd claims that they are "abducting and eating" people’s pets.

Q: Who is accused of spreading this information?
A: Republican Vice Presidential Candidate J.D. Vance is accused of spreading these false claims.

Q: What is the reaction from Caribbean-American legislators?
A: They are strongly condemning the campaign and calling for a stop to the spread of hate and fear. They are also calling for unity and a focus on facts, not fearmongering.

Q: What is the impact of this campaign?
A: The campaign is causing harm to vulnerable communities, including Haitian immigrants, and is fostering hate and fear.