Donald Trump Says Undocumented Immigrants 'Infest' U.S.

June 19, 2018 11:56 AM EDT

Twitter users reacted strongly to President Donald Trump’s use of the word “infest” to describe illegal immigration.

Responding to criticism of a policy that has led to more than 2,000 children being separated from their parents at the border, Trump tweeted that Democrats were to blame.

“They don’t care about crime and want illegal immigrants, no matter how bad they may be, to pour into and infest our country, like MS-13,” he wrote, referencing a violent criminal gang based in Central America.

Critics of Trump’s language argued that it was dehumanizing to use a term traditionally used for pests.

“Infest,” “animals,” “changes their culture.” A parade of dehumanizing and nativist language. https://t.co/rd7Khmue5R
— Chris Megerian (@ChrisMegerian) June 19, 2018

"infest" like rats or cockroaches https://t.co/2diClsQTzG
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) June 19, 2018

Also - insects infest. This public language about immigrants from a US president after, say, 1970, is remarkable. https://t.co/xRhAUjqo5P
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) June 19, 2018

“Infest.” Trump’s dehumanizing language continues—as it always does—by lumping nonviolent illegal immigrants in with violent gangs. https://t.co/qqfAS7pJAp
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) June 19, 2018

Using words like"pour into" and "infest' are dehumanizing tactics repeatedly used in history to smear immigrants & refugees, all in attempts to rob them of their humanity. Language matters. https://t.co/o7Llocw0PG
— Rowaida Abdelaziz (@Rowaida_Abdel) June 19, 2018

Other Twitter users went even further, comparing it to language used during genocides.

Trump’s statement that immigrants will “infest our Country” probably sounds better in the original German. https://t.co/k7FBgBkCHQ
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) June 19, 2018

illegal immigrants "infest our Country"

if this isn't a direct quote from Mein Kampf, it's pretty close. https://t.co/intrGkbq1E
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) June 19, 2018

The controversy happened about a month after Trump used the word “animals” while criticizing California’s immigration approach. After facing public scrutiny for his language, Trump tweeted that he was referring specifically to MS-13 gang members, “a big difference.”

People Are Angry President Trump Used This Word to Describe Undocumented Immigrants

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