Staff Reports
Former President Donald Trump has once again stirred the pot regarding immigration, bringing his unique brand of commentary into the mix. In a recent radio interview with Hugh Hewitt, Trump made headlines by attributing criminal behavior among undocumented immigrants to what he amusingly referred to as “bad genes.” This latest jab was aimed at Vice President Kamala Harris, who has become quite the punching bag for those on the right when it comes to border security—or lack thereof.
The former president’s main argument centered on the staggering number of undocumented individuals allegedly allowed to roam free, specifying a whopping 13,000 murderers slipping through the open border. Trump emphasized his point by stating that these “bad genes” have allowed such individuals to proliferate in America, ultimately suggesting that their genetic makeup was somehow tied to their criminal activities. It’s a statement reminiscent of his past comments about Mexican immigrants, and it appears that Trump is embracing the “genetic theory” approach with flair.
"It's in their genes. And we've got a lot of bad genes in this country right now," Trump said. https://t.co/ssnq2o9LzR
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) October 7, 2024
Interestingly, the narrative surrounding these figures is more complex than a simple blame game. Even though Trump and his allies claim that the Biden administration has released thousands of murderers back into society, the reality is a tad murkier. Data from Immigration and Customs Enforcement did mention over 13,000 undocumented immigrants with homicide convictions, but many of those individuals are not even on ICE’s radar due to being in state or local custody. Furthermore, the total number of 425,000 illegal immigrants with criminal records includes a smorgasbord of old cases dating back decades, some even closer to the Trump administration’s own tenure.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was quick to denounce Trump’s “bad genes” remark, labeling it as hateful and inappropriate. While some in the mainstream media love to paint Trump as the villain of this narrative, it seems that the real danger lies in crafting speeches that evoke unity while downplaying the valid concerns about border security. According to Jean-Pierre, the current administration is wholly committed to rejecting Trump’s supposedly “vile speech,” yet one can’t help but wonder if such an extreme focus on language overshadows the more pressing issue of illegal immigration.
This latest tidbit from Trump is nothing new; his history of comments regarding immigrants’ backgrounds stretches back to his first campaign. From labeling Mexican immigrants as potential criminals to claiming that undocumented individuals are metaphorically “poisoning the blood of our country,” Trump’s remarks have often ignited debates about race and immigration. A recent campaign event saw Kamala Harris referencing Trump’s earlier statements about “poisoning the blood,” portraying him as a perpetual instigator of divisiveness.
As the political drama unfolds, the takeaway from Trump’s comments is clear: he isn’t backing down from sparking controversial discussions on immigration. Whether one agrees with his theories or sees them as a poorly veiled jab at immigrant communities, it’s certainly a rhetoric that gets Americans talking—and that, after all, might be the point.
