Donald Trump Sparks Another Dispute Over Haitian Immigration: A Look Back at Old Prejudices

Once, during his tenure, former U.S. President Donald J. Trump shaped the narrative of fear surrounding Haitian immigrants, a narrative that is now gaining renewed intensity as he campaigns once again. As early as 2017, Trump made a controversial statement in the White House, claiming that Haitian immigrants were bringing AIDS into the country, causing significant outrage among his key government officials. These stigmatizations surfaced during the early 1980s pandemic when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified Haitians as one of four risk groups for the spread of AIDS. In reality, the CDC distanced itself from this categorization as early as 1985, but Trump’s beliefs seemed unaffected by these developments. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity in October 2021, Trump reiterated this accusation and again addressed the alleged threat posed by Haitian immigrants. His statements met with sharp criticism, particularly from the Governor of Ohio, who dismissed them as "nonsense." Despite substantial opposition, Trump's remarks were not without consequences: they led to multiple bomb threats in Springfield, significantly disrupting the lives of residents. During a debate against Vice President Kamala Harris, Trump did not miss the opportunity to disparage Haitians, spreading rumors that they were consuming household pets in Ohio. Trump's disdain for Haitians was evident as early as 2018 when he vehemently opposed a bill aimed at easing legal Haitian immigration. At the same time, he worked to terminate programs protecting against temporary deportation and the issuance of work visas for Haitian immigrants. The roots of Trump’s stance likely trace back to his experiences in the 1980s when Haitians in the U.S. were increasingly associated with AIDS. Since then, Trump has hardly altered his views and continues to employ these narratives to pursue political objectives. Health authorities, however, emphasize that about two percent of the Haitian population, roughly 180,000 people, are infected with HIV — a rate higher than in the U.S., but much lower than in numerous African countries. Therefore, there is little evidence to suggest that AIDS-infected Haitians are migrating to the U.S. en masse.