Representative Clay Higgins (R-LA) speaks with members of the House Freedom Caucus during a press conference on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on July 14, 2023 in Washington, DC

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Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins on Thursday retracted comments he made about Haitian immigrants in a now-deleted social media post.

“You never want to intentionally hurt anyone’s feelings, and that post was intended for Haitian gangs, you know?” Higgins, a Republican, told reporters: “The unintended impact expressed in a very sincere manner by one of my colleagues affected me as a gentleman.”

NPR reached out to Higgins’ office for comment but did not receive a response.

Higgins has faced criticism in recent days for amplifying false claims that Haitians eat pets and calling them “thugs,” in response to a report from the Associated Press. The news organization reported that the Haitian Bridge Alliance, a nonprofit organization that supports Haitians, is seeking criminal charges against former President Donald Trump and his running mate, JD Vance.

“Lol. These Haitians are wild. Pet eating, vudu, dirtiest country in the western hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters…but damn if they don’t all feel sophisticated right about now, and file charges against our president and vice president ,’Higgins wrote on his official account on X. “All these criminals better get their minds straight and leave our country before January 20.”

Asked about his comments on CNN later Wednesday, Higgins defended the tweet.

“It’s all true,” said Higgins, the news organization said. “I can make another controversial post tomorrow if you want. I mean, we do have freedom of speech. I will say what I want.”

The Congressional Black Caucus condemned his comments on Wednesday and introduced a resolution to censure Higgins.

“Referring to Haiti as the ‘worst country in the Western Hemisphere’ and denigrating Haitians with mean and demeaning terms goes against a fundamental tenet of our country: that America is a nation of immigrants where all are welcome,” she said. caucus in a statement. . “Every member of Congress must be clear that we must eliminate hate in all its forms. It is time to turn the page on this pattern of denigrating and vilifying immigrants for political gain.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters at a news conference Wednesday that Higgins had been contacted by members of Congress about the post and deleted it, saying the lawmaker “regretted” what he had posted.

“Clay Higgins is a good friend of mine and a colleague from Louisiana and a very outspoken and outspoken person. He is also a very principled man. I think – I didn’t even see it – but he tweeted something today about Haitians. And he was approached on the floor by colleagues who said that was offensive,” Johnson told reporters. “I just talked to him about it, he said he went to the back and prayed about it and he regretted it. And he pulled down the pole. That’s what you want a gentleman to do. I’m sure he probably regrets the language he used. But you know, we’re moving forward. We believe in redemption here.”