Former President Donald Trump has ignited fresh controversy by sharing a graphic video of a fatal hammer attack, using the violent incident to bolster his calls for stricter immigration policies.
Rolbert Joachin, a Haitian migrant, faces homicide charges for allegedly beating a woman to death at a Florida gas station on April 3. Trump posted the disturbing footage on his Truth Social platform, describing it as "one of the most vicious things you will ever see."
In his post, Trump argued that "this one killing should be enough" for judges to stop "impeding my Administration's Immigration Policies," specifically referencing his efforts to end deportation protections for Haitian migrants.
The video, also circulated by the Department of Homeland Security, shows a man striking a woman in the head before she collapses, then hitting her six more times on the head and torso. Micah McCombs, a Homeland Security Investigations special agent, called the footage "senseless" and "a video you can never unwatch" during a Friday news conference.
Joachin first entered the United States in August 2022 and received a final removal order that same year. However, the Biden administration granted him Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which expired in 2024. TPS prevents deportation of immigrants from countries deemed unsafe due to disasters, conflicts, or other crises.
Trump's administration has long sought to dismantle TPS programs, arguing they encourage illegal immigration and have been overused. A federal judge temporarily blocked the administration's attempt to eliminate protections for over 350,000 Haitian immigrants in February.
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear the case regarding TPS for Haitians, with oral arguments scheduled for later this month. Haitians originally became eligible for TPS after the devastating 2010 earthquake, with extensions continuing under multiple administrations.
DHS stated that Joachin "will be deported regardless of the outcome" of his case. The administration's broader push to end TPS programs could affect hundreds of thousands of migrants from Afghanistan, Ethiopia, Honduras, Myanmar, Nepal, South Sudan, Syria, and Venezuela.