Miami, FL – In response to the Donald Trump campaign announcement that he will seek to curry votes from Haitian Americans during his visit to South Florida, Haitian-American Community Activist Francesca Menes issued the following statement:

“Trump has made statements that ‘tremendous infectious disease is pouring across the border’ and that ‘the United State has become a dumping ground for…many parts of the world’. The Haitian community has overcome so much stigma over the years and we know we can’t trust Donald Trump. He seems to only be interested in the publicity he can get from our communities and in dividing our communities, not strengthening them. Trump says he wants to close the Department of Education, he’s danced around an endorsement from David Duke, he’s insulted the immigrant community writ large. My neighbors are looking for a leader who is going to protect and build on the legacy of President Obama and that is clearly not Donald Trump.”