A Republican state lawmaker in Pennsylvania, Sen. Camera Bartolotta, firmly shut down a racist conspiracy theory involving Haitian immigrants on Tuesday that was being circulated by the far-right social media account “Libs of TikTok.”
The account, operated by far-right activist Chaya Raichik, posted a baseless claim about Haitian workers in Charleroi, Pennsylvania, alleging that Vice President Kamala Harris had imported Haitian immigrants to take American jobs.
“Incredible footage revealing an operation in Charleroi, PA where Haitians are being bussed to and from food factories operated by Fourth Street Foods,” the post on X (formerly Twitter) read. “It’s estimated that 90% of workers are now made up of Haitians. Kamala imported 2,000 Haitians into this town of 4,000 people and now they’re taking American jobs.”
Bartolotta, who represents the Charleroi area, quickly refuted the claim, calling it completely false. “This is not true,” she wrote in response. “The business owner provides transportation for workers to get to & from his facility. These are not immigrants being bussed in by Kamala. I follow you & repost but you are playing into the hands of people who are jeopardizing the safety of innocent children in our local school.”
Bartolotta went on to defend the Haitian workers, noting that they are legally in the United States, contributing to the local economy, and even sending their children to school. “They are here legally. They did not cross our border. Many are professionals who escaped horrific conditions in their home country,” she emphasized.
The senator also shed light on the broader context, explaining that just a few years ago, Charleroi had “no workforce” and the business owner had struggled to fill positions. “Facing a shutdown, he hired an agency that connected immigrants who were vetted and LEGAL to work in his facility,” she explained. Thanks to these efforts, the business now operates three shifts around the clock and has revitalized the community by renovating dilapidated apartment buildings, which have been put back on the town’s tax rolls.
Bartolotta urged Raichik to “check the facts before posting information that jeopardizes the safety of good, hard-working people.” Raichik has built a reputation for promoting inflammatory and unfounded claims, often targeting racial diversity and LGBTQ+ communities online. Her latest post about Haitian workers in Pennsylvania is just another example of her efforts to spread misinformation.