Right-wing commentator Megyn Kelly unleashed a vulgar tirade against Haitian immigrants, declaring, “Go home! Get out! We know our country is better than yours,” in response to a Supreme Court ruling that allows the Trump administration to strip humanitarian protections from tens of thousands.
On her podcast, The Megyn Kelly Show, she proclaimed, “That’s because we filled it with our work ethic and our culture and our values!” Kelly’s comments came after a 6-3 decision from the Supreme Court’s conservative majority, which permits the Department of Homeland Security to terminate Temporary Protected Status for Haiti and Syria. This ruling threatens to force approximately 350,000 Haitians and many more Syrians back to their home countries.
Professor Eddie S. Glaude Jr. from Princeton University’s African American Studies Department slammed Kelly’s remarks as “profoundly racist” and “morally reprehensible,” particularly her claims that Haitian immigrants lack work ethic and values.
The Temporary Protected Status program was established by Congress in 1990 to provide legal status to individuals fleeing war, natural disasters, and other extraordinary conditions. Haiti was designated for TPS following a catastrophic earthquake in 2010 that resulted in over 200,000 deaths and widespread devastation.
Currently, armed group violence has displaced 1.4 million people in Haiti, while 5.7 million face severe food insecurity daily, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Haitian immigrants under TPS contribute nearly $6 billion annually to the U.S. economy and pay over $1.5 billion in taxes each year, as reported by advocacy groups FWD.us, UndocuBlack Network, and Haitian Bridge Alliance.
Kelly continued her offensive remarks, stating, “We don’t care if you’re offended. Get out! Go home! Go back to f***ing Haiti!”
She expressed concern for her friends in Ohio who have been dealing with TPS Haitians for years, further asserting that these immigrants do not want to live like Americans.
Kelly echoed baseless claims made by Trump during his 2024 campaign, where he accused Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio, of “eating the pets.”
Viles Dorsainvil, a Haitian immigrant living in Ohio under TPS, criticized the Supreme Court for seemingly endorsing “all the conspiracy theories from the president against minority groups” with its ruling.
Democratic Rep. Yassamin Ansari of Arizona condemned Kelly’s statements as “just vile,” expressing disbelief that someone with such privilege would use their platform to spread hatred against vulnerable populations. “Hope you find whatever humanity you’re missing, Megyn,” she wrote.
Connell McShane, a former colleague of Kelly’s at NewsNation, labeled her an “a******,” stating he regretted listening to her comments. He asserted that the people he knows from Haiti are improving the country rather than harming it.
Ohio-based writer Pedro L. Gonzalez accused Kelly of making crude remarks for attention and fame, claiming she has become a “cartoon white nationalist” to garner publicity.
Katie Miller, wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller—known for his extreme immigration policies—celebrated the Supreme Court ruling with false claims about Haitian immigrants, stating, “Great news for the dogs and cats of Springfield.”
Ahilan Arulanantham, co-director of the Miñana Family Center for Immigration Law and Policy at UCLA School of Law, criticized the ruling as a significant victory for the far-right anti-immigrant movement. He expressed concern over the court's conclusion that there was no likelihood that racial discrimination motivated the president’s statements about Haitians, calling it deeply troubling for racial justice in America.
