Ben Carson at HUD: This negro is really trying it. pic.twitter.com/OicU8jmGVw — #ResistCapitalism (@Delo_Taylor) March 6, 2017

Dr. Ben Carson sent Twitter into a tizzy when he outlandishly said enslaved Africans were “immigrants” during a speech to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

On Monday, March 6, the HUD Secretary spoke to employees for an hour, discussing how his background in neurosurgery prepared him for his new role and American exceptionalism, something he has talked about in the past.

“That’s what America is about, a land of dreams and opportunity,” Carson said. “There were other immigrants who came here in the bottom of slave ships, worked even longer, even harder for less. But they, too, had a dream that one day their sons, daughters, grandsons, granddaughters, great-grandsons, great-granddaughters, might pursue prosperity and happiness in this land.”

In reaction, Twitter had a field day with the retired neurosurgeon, chiding him for his lack of historical knowledge.

Everyone at Ben Carson right now. pic.twitter.com/dmGQT516zb — Indigo (@Indigo_NX) March 6, 2017

Ben Carson, the neurosurgeon = brilliant

Ben Carson, the human speaker of words = terribly unSmart — E (@WalkSays) March 6, 2017

Ben Carson: Slaves were immigrants who came to America to reach their dreams Ben Carson's great-grandmother: pic.twitter.com/6uuqxoCWCU — M4L (@_fortheloveofAj) March 6, 2017

https://twitter.com/__itssmo/status/838864250206629890

Celebrities and activists also weighed in.

OK!! Ben Carson….I can't! Immigrants ? In the bottom of SLAVE SHIPS??!! MUTHAFUKKA PLEASE!!!#dickheadedtom — Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) March 6, 2017

Ben Carson said slaves were immigrants who came over here & worked for less. By "came" you mean FORCED and by "less" you mean NOTHING — Tariq Nasheed 🇺🇸 (@tariqnasheed) March 6, 2017

Others questioned his ability to head the HUD department.

Maybe Ben Carson should have been appointed to a position with a somewhat lower profile like Secretary of Manila Envelopes. #immigrants — MORE MIDRANGE (@RomanoMarko) March 6, 2017

Ben Carson official HUD photograph. pic.twitter.com/Esc83DXoys — PRE-KARDASHIAN KANYE (@CushKobain) March 6, 2017