President Donald Trump on Monday made an outrageous claim about how to spot immigrants likely to cause 'trouble' once inside the United States, asserting he can judge them based on their looks alone.
Trump's Rose Garden Remarks
During comments in the Rose Garden, Trump attacked former President Joe Biden over migrants who entered the country during his administration. 'They came in through an open border,' Trump said. 'They came in through prisons, mental institutions, drug dealers. You have no idea the drug dealers that came in under Biden. Open border. Nobody checked. They just walk in.'
Trump then claimed there is a way to sort good from bad based on appearance. 'And you could look at some of them, you could say, “This is trouble,”' he said. 'And they'd walk into our country.'
Administration's Immigration Record
Since returning to office last year, Trump has stepped up deportations and restricted the number of immigrants allowed into the country. Mother Jones reported last month that for the previous six months, the Trump administration has only accepted white migrants, most of them white South Africans. Critics said Trump's claim about how to spot 'trouble' comes down to one factor: skin color.
Reaction on Social Media
Critics lashed out on X. George Conway wrote: 'When I see someone wearing erratically applied orange makeup, I always say “this is trouble.”' Geoff Brown stated: 'When he says he can tell if immigrants are bad based on how they look, he means if they're not white. White person from South Africa=good. White person from Norway=good. Black person from Gambia=bad. Racist to the core.'
Jeff Timmer said: 'The astounding level of racism he's casually bragging about will get little attention. It should get lots of attention.' Homeland Dems noted: 'Under the Trump administration, nearly every single admitted refugee has been a white South African.' Ellen Dumm called it 'the definition of racism' and said Trump is 'a stupid racist.'
Other users made similar points. Jared Shult asked: 'How does anyone defend this man?' Sam Eaton decoded: 'In other words…if they're not white.' Alex Cole reminded: 'His own wife is an immigrant.'
