Trump Sparks Controversy with Remarks on Immigrants Bringing "Bad Genes" into the U.S.

Former President Donald Trump has stirred controversy once again by claiming that illegal immigrants are introducing "bad genes" into the United States. This statement, made during a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt, has drawn significant backlash.

Trump's comments come as part of his ongoing criticism of immigration, which has frequently been accused of demonizing migrants. During the interview, Trump also took aim at his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, while referencing government statistics about 13,000 immigrants with homicide convictions not being detained by federal immigration authorities.

“How about allowing people to come to an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers, many of them murdered far more than one person? They are now happily living in the United States,” Trump said. He further added, “A murderer — I believe this — it’s in their genes. We’ve got a lot of bad genes in our country right now.”

Trump's figures were quickly disputed as misrepresentations of information provided by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The numbers, which span several decades, include data from when Trump was still president and do not account for individuals detained in non-ICE facilities, such as state or local prisons.

The remarks faced immediate criticism. Conservative analyst Richard Hanania, while disagreeing with the 13,000 murderer statistic, supported Trump's broader point on crime and heredity. Hanania also pointed out that immigrants generally have low crime rates. “I don’t normally defend Trump’s statements, and even here he drops the 13,000 released murderers lie,” said Hanania, adding, “He should merely consider the ramifications after learning about the low crime rate among immigrants.”

These comments come amid a tight race between Trump and Harris as the November election approaches. Immigration has been a central issue in Trump's campaign, with the former president frequently portraying illegal immigrants as threats to public safety.

Last month, Trump referred to immigrants as "animals" during a rally, accusing them of crimes such as rape, theft, and murder, while calling for legal action against Vice President Harris over President Joe Biden's border policies. He also made controversial claims about Haitians in Ohio, accusing them of eating local pets.

Trump has a long history of making divisive remarks about immigrants. He faced widespread backlash in December after equating immigration with Adolf Hitler's rhetoric and accusing immigrants of "poisoning the blood of our country."

Despite his controversial statements, Trump continues to lead in the polls, with the upcoming election expected to be one of the most contentious in recent memory.