SAN ANTONIO – President Trump's reported vulgar and dismissive comment about Haiti and certain African countries has received criticism, including in San Antonio.
Trump reportedly questioned why the U.S. would accept more immigrants from Haiti and "s***hole countries" in Africa rather than places like Norway, as he rejected a bipartisan immigration deal.
The president responded on Twitter, saying the language he used at the DACA meeting was tough, but it was not the language he used. He added that he never said anything derogatory about Haitians.
For Shokare Nakpodia, the president of DreamVoice, the group that organizes San Antonio's annual DreamWeek, the president's comment comes across as saying all Africans are the same.
"Go to Lagos. Go to Abuja," said Nakpodia, who was born in Nigeria. "Google Abuja and find what the description of what the president says. It's not there. That's not the truth."
As the 16-day DreamWeek, which is currently ongoing, is about respecting, listening and learning from each other, Nakpodia said he can't dismiss Trump's comment.
"I just don't have to agree with it," Nakpodia said. "But it's relevant for him. But it's not true in my own experience."