A Republican congresswoman, Mia Love of Utah, called on President Trump to apologize for reportedly saying Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations are “shithole countries.”
“The President’s comments are unkind, divisive, elitist, and fly in the face of our nation’s values. This behavior is unacceptable from the leader of our nation,” Love, whose parents are Haitian and was the first black Republican woman elected to Congress, said in a statement Thursday evening.
“The President must apologize to both the American people and the nations he so wantonly maligned,” she added.
Here is my statement on the President’s comments today: pic.twitter.com/EdtsFjc2zL
— Rep. Mia Love (@RepMiaLove) January 11, 2018
A Washington Post report earlier in the day quoted Trump as he lashed out at lawmakers over possibly restoring protections for immigrants from Haiti, El Salvador, and African nations that his administration plans to end.
“Why are we having all these people from shithole countries come here?” he asked. Trump also reportedly asked why the U.S. doesn’t have more immigration from countries like Norway.
The White House put out a statement defending Trump’s immigration stance, but did not address or deny Trump made the “shithole” comment.
Another Republican lawmaker from Utah, Sen. Orrin Hatch, called for a “detailed explanation” about the remark.
HATCH: “I look forward to getting a more detailed explanation regarding the President’s comments. Part of what makes America so special is that we welcome the best and brightest in the world, regardless of their country of origin.” #utpol
— Senator Hatch Office (@senorrinhatch) January 11, 2018
