Former President Donald Trump’s repeated assertions regarding the emptying of prisons in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the neighboring Republic of Congo to allow violent criminals to migrate to the US border have been refuted by both governments. Spokespersons from both countries have stated that Trump’s claims are entirely false and have urged him to stop spreading such misinformation as it negatively impacts their nations.
Patrick Muyaya Katembwe, a spokesperson for the Democratic Republic of Congo, emphasized that there is no truth to Trump’s claims and labeled them as harmful to the country. Similarly, Serge Mombouli, the Republic of Congo’s ambassador to the US, stated that there is no evidence to support Trump’s assertions.
Despite Trump’s persistent claims, a CNN fact-check found no corroborating evidence. Furthermore, human rights organizations monitoring both Congos have found no indication of mass prisoner releases as described by Trump.
In response to Trump’s claims, Lewis Mudge of Human Rights Watch stated that he had not heard of any emptying of Congolese prisons in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Additionally, Amnesty International senior researcher Abdoulaye Diarra confirmed that there had been no mass releases of prisoners in the Republic of Congo.
Official federal data reveals that Congolese migrants represent only a small fraction of overall arrivals at the US southern border. In the first four months of the 2024 fiscal year, there were just 320 Border Patrol encounters with individuals from the Democratic Republic of Congo or Republic of Congo, out of over 753,000 total encounters with migrants from around the world.
Despite efforts to validate Trump’s claims, neither US organizations advocating reduced immigration nor pro-immigration groups could provide any evidence to support his assertions. Trump’s claims regarding Congolese migrants are seen as part of a pattern of unsubstantiated allegations about foreign countries deliberately sending undesirable individuals to the US.
Trump has a history of embellishing his false or unproven stories over time, with his claims about “the Congo” being the latest addition to his narrative. He has previously made similar baseless claims about other countries, including Mexico and South American nations, without providing specific sources for his remarks.
In conclusion, former President Trump’s claims about Congolese migrants being emptied from prisons to migrate to the US border lack evidence and have been refuted by both Congolese governments and human rights organizations. Despite Trump’s persistence, his allegations remain unsubstantiated and are viewed as part of a broader pattern of misinformation regarding immigration.
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