Trump's Controversial Remarks on Immigration and Crime

Donald Trump, Republican presidential candidate, asserts the prevalence of 'bad genes' in the U.S., linking crime to immigrants. His comments focus on alleged murders by illegal immigrants, and statistics used are called misleading by DHS. The White House condemns Trump's inflammatory language.

In a recent interview, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stirred controversy by suggesting that there are 'a lot of bad genes' in the United States, attributing this to crimes supposedly committed by immigrants living illegally in the country. He highlighted a statistic from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) concerning convicted murderers, framing it as a critique of the current administration's immigration policies.

Trump's statements have drawn criticism for their divisive tone, with opponents pointing out that numerous studies contradict his claims by showing that immigrants do not commit crimes at a higher rate than those born in the country. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security also challenged the interpretation of the data, noting that it encompasses decades-old entries and includes individuals whose cases were adjudicated under past administrations.

The Trump campaign defended the comments, clarifying that the remarks targeted murderers, not the immigrant community as a whole. Trump's assertions have been met with backlash from the White House, which denounced his language as hateful and inappropriate, maintaining that such rhetoric undermines the fabric of American society.

(With inputs from agencies.)