Shutterstock / lev radin
Congressman Chip Roy speaks during a House Judiciary Committee field hearing.
The GOP congressman, who's made inflammatory comments part of his political brand, fired off the tweet in a defense of Trump's plans to deport some 20 million migrants if elected president. Some on social media have said Trump's plan amounts to ethnic cleansing.
"Tell you what – I do want to 'ethnic cleanse' by deporting white progressive Democrats – with a special bonus for rich ones with an Ivy League degree," Roy tweeted. "I really do not like 'those people.'"
For what it's worth, Roy earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Virginia and a law degree from the University of Texas at Austin. Not exactly Ivy League, but pretty prestigious schools just the same.Tell you what - I do want to “ethnic cleanse” by deporting white progressive Democrats - with a special bonus for rich ones with an Ivy League degree. I really do not like “those people.” https://t.co/oFiUd1uS31
— Chip Roy (@chiproytx) June 21, 2024
Roy's comment came in response to a tweet by Will Stancil, an attorney and research fellow at the Institute of Metropolitan Opportunity in Minneapolis. In his tweet, Stancil railed against Trump's deportation plan.
"Deporting 20 million people is absoluletly ethnic cleansing," Stancil wrote. "That's litteraly the population of New York State, or half the Midwest. It's 6% of the whole population! Someone from every classroom, workplace, or street. It's small children, working mothers, whole families."
Although academics have debated the meaning ethnic cleansing, it generally refers to the forced removal of a specific ethnic group or minority. Perhaps surprisingly, it isn't recognized as an independent crime under international law, according to the United Nations.
Ethnic cleaning isn't the same as genocide, which refers to the extermination of a specific ethnic group and is a violation of international law.
Either way, a call for "ethnic cleansing" by a sitting U.S. Congressman — even if made in jest — ignited angry responses on X.
"Disgusting racist! Shame on you!" user @DavidSmuts tweeted in response to Roy.
"Being this bitter all the time isn't healthy, Congressman," chimed in user @isaiahmartin.
Even so, some agreed with Roy's remark.
"We're with you brother," user @ chrischownyk commented. "It's time to take back our constitutional republic."
It's not the first time Roy — a firebrand who once served as U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz's chief of staff — has made outrageous statements on social media or in front of a microphone.
Last month, during an outburst on the House Floor, Roy warned that the Biden White House's migration policies will lead to "Sharia Law" soon being "forced upon the American people." And during Passover in 2020, Roy compared COVID stay-at-home orders to "Nazi Germany" during an appearance on a conservative talk show.
Roy's up for reelection in November.
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