WASHINGTON –PRESS RELEASE – Today, Haiti Caucus Co-Chairs Congresswomen Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Yvette D. Clarke (NY-09), Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick (FL-20), along with Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) Chair Steven Horsford (NV-04), Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) Chair Nanette Barragán (CA-44), and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC) Chair Judy Chu (CA-28), issued the following statement condemning the false and dangerous lies about Haitian, Latino, and Asian immigrants.
“We, members of the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, stand united in condemning the false, hateful, and dangerous rhetoric directed at Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio. These disgraceful lies, perpetuated by Donald Trump, Senator J.D. Vance, and Republicans, are not only rooted in xenophobia, racism, and anti-Blackness, but are also the latest attempt by Republicans to sow division and fear within our communities and distract from their deeply unpopular agenda.
“These lies target some of the most vulnerable among us — individuals and families fleeing violence, instability, and humanitarian crises in search of a better life. Our Haitian neighbors, including our Latino and Asian families, who have come to the United States, seek safety and opportunity, and the contributions they make to our cultural and economic fabric are endless. To demonize and dehumanize them with baseless accusations puts their lives at risk and is an affront to everything we stand for as a nation.
“To be clear: these lies have had very real consequences. Haitian families in Springfield and across the country are living in fear, facing harassment, and facing bomb threats. Children lie awake at night not knowing if they’ll be safe come morning, and parents are consumed with worry for their babies’ safety. We’ve seen this tired playbook before, and we will not stand for it.
“If you come for one of us, you come for all of us. As leaders of the Haiti Caucus, CBC, CHC, and CAPAC, we stand in solidarity with Haitian immigrants and all of our families who have been unjustly targeted. We urge our colleagues to reject this vile rhetoric and instead advance policies that affirm the dignity and humanity of all people, starting with our most vulnerable.”
As Representative for the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District, Congresswoman Pressley serves as Co-Chair for the House Haiti Caucus and represents one of the largest Haitian diaspora communities in the country, with approximately 46,000 Haitians and Haitian-Americans living across the state and over half in the Boston metropolitan area. Additionally, Massachusetts is home to more than 4,700 Haitians with Temporary Protected Status.
